MLA Access & Innovation Fund 

Summary of Awards

2025 Awards

Title: Voices of St. Charles: Community Oral History Initiative 

Award: $4,442

Institution: St. Charles City-County Library

Project Summary: The St. Charles City-County Library proposes establishing a comprehensive oral history program that will empower community members to record, preserve, and share their personal stories and local history.

This initiative will involve:

1. Acquiring high-quality recording devices for in-house and circulating use.
2. Creating oral history kits for patron checkout, including user-friendly recorders, laminated question cards, and best practice guides.
3. Developing a digital platform for story submission and archiving.
4. Organizing library programs specifically designed to facilitate intergenerational oral history recording sessions, allowing younger generations to engage with their elders and learn from their experiences.
5. Training staff on equipment use and oral history best practices.

This project will bridge generational gaps, foster community connections, and create a lasting digital archive of our county's rich cultural heritage.

Title: Large Scale Printing at your Library 

Award: $2,975

Institution: Little Dixie Regional Libraries

Project Summary: Little Dixie Regional Libraries (LDRL) will purchase a large format printer for the library system. The Canon imagePROGRAF GP-300 (large format printer with built in hard drive) will be used by patrons and the staff of LDRL for various printing projects. The printer will be located within the main branch where the largest concentration of patrons and businesses exist. The library will contract with an outside business to deliver and install the printer. The printer will be available for staff to create posters, banners, maps, and other items as needed for programming and marketing. The printer will also be available to patrons and local businesses to create and print items as they need.This will be an ongoing project available to all who enter or need the service.

Title: Spotlight on Literacy 

Award: $4,080

Institution: Washington Public Library

Project Description: Washington Public Library (WPL) serves the City of Washington, as well as Franklin, Warren and Gasconade Counties (through an agreement with Scenic Regional Library). WPL sees a demand for early electronic literacy devices for disadvantaged children. We have started a shelf we call the children’s Spotlight shelf. We received a gift for an initial collection of electronic Playaway Wonderbooks and Playaway Launchpads. Initial feedback has been positive, and the items are all circulating well. Playaway Wonderbooks are physical books with a built-in audiobook device. Playaway Launchpads are a tablet technology with apps targeted at learning & fun for children. Given the popularity of these two items, we believe the new Playaway Whazoodle will also be popular. Whazoodles are audio-only, themed devices aimed at children, featuring age-appropriate podcasts, stories, information and music. None of these items require a wi-fi signal. Many patrons do not have a reliable wi-fi signal, or do not want their young children accessing the Internet. These devices are thus deemed safe by parents. We do not have enough materials to meet the initial demand, and cannot absorb the expense of a startup collection into the budget. The exact mixture of the Playaway products will be determined later - a sample of the proposed products is included in the uploaded documentation at the end of the application.

Title: Sit and Surf at Kirkwood Public Library 

Award: $5,000

Institution: Kirkwood Public Library

Project Summary: Kirkwood Public Library would like to install an exterior bench equipped with a hotspot, charging ports and lighting that is powered by monocrystalline photovoltaic solar cells. This “smart bench” could be used by library patrons and anyone who is passing through the area. The product targeted is from EnGoPlanet Energy Solutions which was featured in the May 2023 edition of American Libraries. This bench would be installed on library property and would be maintained and monitored by library staff.

Title: Community Room Technology Project 

Award: $4,563.97

Institution: Brentwood Public Library

Project Summary: We would like to use grant funds to purchase two smart TVs and conference technology. These TVs will ultimately be housed in two community rooms at our renovated library building, located at 2201 South Brentwood Boulevard in Brentwood, Missouri. In the interim, the library will be able to utilize the technology at its current location.

Our first community room in our new location is 580 square feet and our second room is 500 square feet. We would like to install a TCL - 98" Class Q6-Series 4K UHD HDR QLED Smart Google TV and a Logitech MeetUp Conference Cam in the Community Room. A Samsung QN75QN90C TV will be installed in the Group Room. This technology will be used for patron and staff virtual and hybrid meetings, presentations, and other library community room events.

In addition to the technology listed above, we would use grant funds to purchase a VIVO Mobile TV Cart. This cart will be used to transport the TV in the smaller community room Room to other areas of the library, as needed.

2024 awards

Title: LDRL: Health Services from US to You

Award Amount: $2500

Institution: Little Dixie Regional Libraries

Project Summary: Little Dixie Regional Libraries serves the counties of Randolph and Monroe in north central Missouri. LDRL proposes purchasing a variety of healthcare technologies to checkout to patrons to ensure a better quality of life, reduce stress, and work closely with area healthcare organizations to help educate and ensure better health for residents within the area.

These items will be available at all four branches of the regional library and be available to patrons 16 years and older. The area hospital and health departments have agreed to help promote these new items with area healthcare workers and doctors as a way for people to monitor themselves as needed according to a physicians instructions. These healthcare items also may be used to evaluate for future issues if concerns have arisen.

Title: Connection for All in Richmond Heights

Award Amount: $4,085.62

Institution: Richmond Heights Memorial Library

Project Summary: In 2021 RHML acquired a circulating collection of Chromebooks, which have proven extremely popular with the community. The goals of Connection for All are to maximize the value of these Chromebooks and those we hope to soon acquire, and to close the connection gap in broadband internet access demonstrated by the census data. They intend to purchase twenty-two Franklin T10 hotspots. Twenty devices will be combined with the Library’s existing collection of Chromebooks, currently numbering fifteen. The remaining five will be circulated with additional Chromebooks that we plan to purchase with LSTA funds from the 2024 Tech Mini grant offered through the Missouri State Library. The additional two hotspots and cases will be used by library staff in support of our ever expanding outreach efforts both at community events and senior residential facilities.

Title: Circulating Tonies

Award Amount: $4,904

Institution: Scenic Regional Library

Project Summary: We will create at least 19 unique kits including a Tonie box, charger, and 8 Tonie characters in a padded case. These kits will be evenly distributed among our 9 branches but all patrons in our district will have access to all kits. A Tonie box is a padded speaker that is simple enough for very young children to use with minimal assistance. It is an imagination-building, screen-free digital listening experience. Each Tonie character has from 30 minutes to an hour of content that includes books, stories, songs, and informational content. Tonies are designed to foster imagination and active play for children ages 3 and up.

Title: Public WiFi Broadband Improvements

Award Amount: $3,000

Award: Fully Fund

Institution: Joplin Public Library

Project Summary: This project will see five Wifi 6e Access points deployed in central common areas for best distribution as determined by a heatmap of existing usage. These devices will be capable of accommodating the volume of patrons in those areas with ease at speed over 100mbs down. Each location was carefully considered for the amount of coverage area capable vs number of patrons loitering/likely to need services in those areas.

Title: New Patron Printer Funding

Award Amount: $500

Institution: Dade County Library

Project Summary: The goal of the project is to provide a new, more reliable printer in our computer lab.

Title: Large Format, Large Impact

Award Amount: $5,000

Institution: Cameron Public Library

Project Summary: In 2018 we created a Makerspace room in our library using a variety of low-tech materials as well as introductory coding tools. We would like to build off of these successes with additional “high tech” Making tools. After speaking with community members as well as consulting with other small libraries, we believe that the best way to serve our community would be through the addition of a large format printer. We will have the printer available for orders to be sent in and printed for a small fee as well as featured during making events. We feel that the new printer will allow us to print more appealing promotional materials as well.

Title: EagleTech Rural Expansion Pilot

Award Amount: $4,985.40

Institution: Ozarks Technical Community College

Project Summary: Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC) serves approximately 15,000 students annually in a 12-county region in southwest Missouri. At the main campus in Springfield, OTC’s library operates the EagleTech technology lending program, loaning laptops, hotspots, and iPads out to students. Hotspot lending has the highest rate of use, leading to waitlists of dozens of students. The popularity of EagleTech hotspot lending and awareness of the urgent need for internet access in the rural counties OTC serves leads us to seek ways to expand this program to where students need it most.

We propose to pilot a program at OTC’s most rural campus, lending hotspots to OTC students at the Table Rock campus. With a small pilot program of 4 hotspot devices, and building on the existing policies and procedures that have been so successful at the Springfield campus, we hope to demonstrate the need and viability of a permanent program at this location. Devices will be available for a 21-day loan period to currently registered students at the OTC Table Rock campus.

Title: Early Literacy Digital Inclusion

Award Amount: $5,000

Institution: Livingston County Library

Project Summary: The Lillian DesMarias Youth Library serves Livingston County and surrounding areas youth ages 0 – 18 years. As a branch location of the Livingston County Library dedicated to serving the county’s community youth, we have introduced gaming for teens, cubelet clubs for elementary students, and now we are looking to include technology for our earliest readers those family units who include preschool and primary school aged children.

The project involves purchasing and installing AWE Early Literacy Station in the Youth Library specifically designed for ages 2-8 without internet accessibility. Additionally, the project involves the purchase of Tonieboxes, their characters and carrying cases to enable ages 3 and up to experience digital storytelling with their imagination without screens. Toniebox is an audio system with predownloaded content with stories and music that offers tactile play or self-directed play. The Tonieboxes would be available for patron checkout, much like hotspots or laptops, are through the library’s lending programs.

2023 awards

Title: Library Laptop Checkout Program 

Award Amount: $5,000

Institution: Missouri Southern State University - Spiva Library 

Project Summary: The Library Laptop Checkout Program would provide laptops and internet service to many students that lack equipment and reliable internet necessary to complete courses. In spring of 2020 courses were moved online due to COVID-19. This move unveiled an inequitable divide for many students who found themselves in need of a computer and reliable internet access. Through the Library Laptop Checkout Program, the library could help bridge the gap for students and help them overcome barriers and to be successful in their academic careers.  

Spiva Library has sought to initiate a Laptop Checkout Program since before the pandemic in order to support the student population that does not have adequate or reliable access to computers or internet. Due to budget constraints and reductions, in 2019 the Library budget was cut by 50%, the Library was unable to fulfill this student need, which was then exacerbated by the pandemic in 2020. During the pandemic the University Information Technology department was able to use a portion of the University’s relief funding to purchase 48 laptops for student usage. IT implemented a lending program in the fall of 2021, half of the computers were used the first semester. During the implementation the IT department struggled with creating a system to checkout, track, and bill students when necessary. 

Since the initial meeting in fall of 2021, the Library and IT continued to meet to discuss what the partnership and transition would look like for all parties involved, students, Library personnel, and IT staff. Funding from the Missouri Library Association Access and Innovation Grant program will be used to expand the laptop program to meet increasing student demand and break barriers to enable students to be as successful as possible. 

Title: Technology Update 

Award Amount: $3,839 + two year institutional membership in MLA

Institution: Worth County Public Library 

Project Summary: There are many citizens of Worth County who do not have access to a computer and printer. Maintaining free access to updated technology is of great importance to the community. The Worth County Public Library is the hub of information services to the community. According to ALA News (8/31/21), libraries are often among the few public places maintaining ready access to the older technology (e.g., copy machines, printers, and fax machines) still needed by many people. The WCPL provides services to anyone regardless of residency, citizenship or income and is a very important resource for the community.

With the help of funding from the Missouri Library Association Access and Innovation Grant program the Worth County Public Library will purchase a new printer. The public library will also purchase two new desktop computers with 8 gig capacity and faster Internet connectivity. The old printer was purchased in 2010 and has long outlasted its expected lifetime. The two computers will replace 10-year-old computers that run much slower and have a smaller gig capacity than the proposed new ones. This equipment will be available for all library patrons and will provide the public more reliable Internet access and fill a need expressed by the library patrons for an updated printer. 

Title: Small Business Incubator for Formerly Incarcerated People 

Award Amount: $3,500

Institution: St. Louis County Library & St. Louis County Library Foundation 

Project Summary: St. Louis County Library’s Reference Department is developing a Small Business Incubator for formerly incarcerated individuals.  It is a 6-month program consisting of a hybrid in-person & online curriculum designed to aid aspiring entrepreneurs in developing their ideas into concrete business plans, learning how to research & create marketing & funding plans, utilize library resources, & make connections with other local organizations that support small business owners.

During the incubator, the cohort of participants will be given Chromebooks, Wi-Fi hotspots, wireless mice, charging cables, & a carrying case for long-term checkout to use for the duration of the 6-month program. These technological tools, in combination with WiFi hotspots that will be supplied to participants, will enable anyone to fully participate in the program, overcoming barriers to access.  Using the Chromebooks they can attend the online sessions, participate in the online curriculum, and also perform essential research as they progress through the incubator and develop their business plans, marketing, and funding strategies. Upon successful completion of the program, cohort participants will get to keep the Chromebook, mouse, & carrying case.

Funding from the Missouri Library Association Access and Innovation Grant program will go toward supporting the laptops and other technological tools for this project.

Title: TechConnect - Hotspots for Community 

Award Amount: $5,000

Institution: Rolla Public Library 

Project Summary: The TechConnect program is intended to serve those without internet access in our community.  Rolla consists of about 20,000 individuals and Phelps County about 40,000.  The library currently has approximately 6,000 cardholders. The program has served area students, homeschool families, area clubs and organizations, the elderly, those with developmental disabilities, our international community, low income residents and the general population as well.

Funding from the Missouri Library Association Access and Innovation Grant program will partially fund continuing service for the current 20 hotspots for 12 months.

Title: Large Format Printer Replacement 

Award Amount: $4,800.81

Institution: Kirkwood Public Library 

Project Summary: 

The Kirkwood Public Library has had a Canon iPF-750 large format printer for the last 10 years. We offer its use to our patrons and use it for in-house library marketing. The printer has been functioning well for the most part of that 10 years with only minor troubleshooting or maintenance needed. Unfortunately, 10 years of use has put a lot of wear on the printer and as of late it has needed more and more troubleshooting. Therefore, we are in need of replacing the printer.

In the past we've had heavy use from teachers in our local school district as well as hobbyists, architects (for structural maps), and clothing designers (for clothes patterns). The printer also offers a means for our library to print in-house marketing material which saves us time and money compared to printing from another business. We also provide use of the printer to other members of our consortium, the Municipal Library Consortium of St. Louis, several of which ask use to help them print marketing materials for their libraries. 

This project is designed to serve members of our community who rely on our services for cost-effective means of printing on a large scale. Funding from the Missouri Library Association Access and Innovation Grant program will fully cover the cost of the printer.