(via Anne Craig, CARLI)
Good afternoon!
Following is an email I sent last week to directors about a survey to assess whether CARLI might apply for the CLIR Digitizing Hidden Collections grant. Please consider completing and submitting it.
I also write to you today to publicize the CLIR webinar about the grant on Tuesday, Feb. 5. Registration is at this link:
https://clirdlf.zoom.us/webinar/register/5115476508799/WN_YEPT5QHeQW6rDnR5h9A_8Q. I will be attending.
Thanks so much! Anne
Dear CARLI Directors/Deans:
I write to you today to ask your help in assessing whether CARLI might apply for the for the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) grant supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, “Digitizing Hidden Collections,” https://www.clir.org/hiddencollections/. This grant seeks to fund the digitization of “…rare and unique content in collecting institutions.”
Please forward this message to the collections staff in your organization, especially:
· Digital collections staff
· Special and rare collections staff
The CLIR grant was suggested to me by a few of our member institutions as a possible consortium-wide effort because of its strong support for consortia and thorough project design, and its record of excellence in digitizing significant works. Among our membership, we can document a critical need for funding for digitization projects.
In order to evaluate whether CARLI should apply for this grant on behalf of our member libraries, we will need to assess whether we can assemble a cohesive collection from our member libraries–most likely based on a focus area of Illinois’ history–that is currently not discoverable and of significance to the larger research community. I encourage you to read the application information about this grant found at https://www.clir.org/hiddencollections/applicant-resources/.
If you are interested in possible participation, please complete the online survey, “Initial Assessment of CARLI Members’ Holdings” (takes about 15 minutes per included collection) https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/InitialSurveyCLIR by Friday, February 15.
Following the survey, next steps include an evaluation of the survey results with an eye to deciding whether we should proceed, and, if so, a conversation with the CARLI members involved. If we decide to proceed, we will call for a volunteer group of members to assist with drafting and compiling the necessary application information. Every CARLI member that completes the survey will receive a response indicating whether CARLI will proceed and whether the grant will include their library’s collections.
Although the grant is very competitive, I think that CARLI could present a strong application if we can identify appropriate and compelling collections housed at our member libraries. If awarded, the project must begin between January 1 and June 1, 2020. Collaborative projects can last up to 36 months and have a maximum request limit of $500,000. The application is due April 3, 2019.
Please contact me if you have any questions.
Thank you! Anne