In 2024, ALS approved all of our available Mini Grants. Member Libraries of all types used their creativity and these funds to provide their community with helpful technology, programs, books, and more! Thank you to all libraries who applied for these Mini Grants in 2024. Read more to see the successful outcomes of this year’s Mini Grants, and to find inspiration for your own Mini Grant and project ideas!
Project Name: STEAM Project Supplies
Kelly Belleville, Greenhaven Elementary School
Outcomes from this project: Many of my projects are funded out of my own pocket. This helps ease the burden of trying to fund a Specialist classroom (multiple grades/multiple classes) with supplies to create fun and engaging projects that promote critical thinking and teamwork. All supplies will get used and I am so grateful for the opportunity to receive such grants to help aid the learning process for my students.
Project Name: STEM Learning
Lisa Pennala, Babbitt Public Library
Outcomes from this project: The outcome that we have seen from having these grant dollars is watching children use their skills in a variety of ways by engaging in critical thinking, problem solving, unleashing their imagination and learning to interact with other children. These kits are used in the library for families. In the month of February, 57 kits were used.
Project Name: Rolling Whiteboard and Flip Chart
Barbara Hughes, St. Joseph Catholic School Library
Outcomes from this project: The whiteboard/chart stand allows me to include visual representations of constructive thinking and learning. Having the display remain visible reinforces the continued review and learning. Success of this grant is measured by usage. Every week as I do my literacy lessons in all grades, I’m using the whiteboard or charts to organize and share thinking, create story maps, and provide a visual representation students can reference.
Project Name: Tonies Available at the Public Library
Kelli Pelland, Baudette Public Library
Outcomes from this project: Families can check out a Tonie Player & Audio Play Character to see if they’d like to purchase one. They are kid friendly, screen free entertainment & enforce listening to stories. We will tally every time it is checked out & use it for a story time.
Project Name: Black & White Copier
Michele Lammi, Iron Range Historical Society
Outcomes from this project: Patrons, and volunteers alike, will be less frustrated with the process of making copies. Patrons can find and take a photo or have volunteers take a photo of newspaper items and print directly from the printer using Wi-Fi. Large documents and bound books that can’t be placed on the printer can be easily, and almost effortlessly, created by the printer via Wi-Fi after using our scanning wand or our large document scanner. Those who have used the printer are pretty excited by the Wi-Fi capability, especially. We made an enlarged copy of a yearbook picture for a patron by first scanning it on our large document scanner, enlarging it on the laptop and then printing the enlargement on the printer. The patron was very happy to get this copy as he could then see the faces of the people better. We have saved paper by printing articles for patrons on both sides which helps the budget of IRHS as we do not charge a fee for copies.
Project Name: Inclusive Children’s Books
Sarah Klyve, Northeast Service Cooperative
Outcomes of the Project: These books allow some of our most marginalized students in the region see themselves represented in the characters in the books. The books are shared out with elementary schools within the Northeast region of Minnesota and highlight diversity, equity and inclusivity for ALL students. We are using a Google Sheet to track which schools are using the books and when. We are recording how many classrooms that the books are used in and how many students are impacted.
Project Name: Chapter books for Classroom Library
Ana Urban, Proctor Public Schools – Bay View Elementary
Outcomes of the Project: Students need access to books at their level to practice their reading skills. The books purchased for this grant will serve to increase literacy and comprehension skills. I will measure success over the course of the upcoming school year. Students will have access to these new books from the first day of school and will be able to enjoy them for their entire year.
Project Name: Summer Color & Crafts
Necia Nunn, Nashwauk Community Library
Outcomes of the Project: This is the third year some of these kids have been coming in for this program. It has been a joy to watch friendships develop and to witness their creativity flourishing. Extremely happy with the results. Attendance was even higher than last year. The children were thrilled that we had the N-K High School Art teacher here to supervise a couple of projects. (One was so successful that we had to do a second session of it) I also had high school students as volunteers this year and “the big kids” were a big hit.
Project Name: Table Lamps with Power/USB Outlets
Sam Pogerels, Virginia Public Library
Outcomes of the Project: The main idea with these lamps was for easily accessible charging. There are four total slots where someone can plug in a device on the two table lamps. This is a huge improvement to our five somewhat accessible power outlets we had before. We can keep track of the usage simply by keeping a tally of how many people use the lamps daily. The lamps will be on tables right next to the front desk where someone can easily mark down the number of patrons using them.
Project Name: Makedo for Makerspace
Ariana Zahradka, Falls Elementary School Library
Outcomes of the Project: We plan to use the Makedo Safe Saws and Fold Rollers later this year when we do our STEAM night projects and throughout the year when we use cardboard for building and engineering. The safe saws are a safe alternative to using scissors and exacto knives and protect my kids from accidental injury. The Fold Rollers will help my students make more precise folds in their cardboard creations. I am excited to have the kids use them when we get to our cardboard maker projects later this year.
