Sydney wrote:
>I would love to have authors come and visit my 2 schools. The problem is
>money.
>How do you get the funds to pay for visits? My library is funded from our
>central Office and this year I get the whopping sums of $702. at one
>school and
>$1200. at the other school. With these funds I am expected to purchase books,
>software and reference materials. Does anyone have any sites or information on
>where to find grants? Any information would be greatly appreciated.
Well, last week's news from Tennessee was good--that there was a state
ruling about flexible access in libraries. But wow! This is stunning,
Sydney. I can't imagine how either of these budgets will pay for more than
a fraction of your costs, and of course they can't.
But to answer your question about author visits: I have several suggestions.
First of all--and I hope that some TN librarians chime in too--you should
look for state grant foundations. For instance, here in Maine, we have the
wonderful Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation. They have funded many
worthy projects related to books, librries, literacy, and reading. A
librarian has a funding request in to the Foundation now seeking funding
for an author visit she hopes to have from me. Are there foundations in TN
that fund literacy/reading efforts in your state? How about the Coca-Cola
Foundation?
The Tennessee Anytime site has a page on Grant Writing for education with
lots of links. I really encourage you to look there
http://www.state.tn.us/education/grwriting.htm
Second, what about local foudations? I am assuming that if these existed,
you'd already know about them. But I know that in the very small community
in which I live (Buxton, Maine), a couple won the lottery last year and
have established a foundation that supports, among other things, libraries
and education. And they are funding an author visit (with yours truly) for
all fifth graders in town and buying them each a copy of THE SEA CHEST (as
a tie-in to Maine history). They are also funding a visit with two other
authors for all first graders and all third graders and a book for each of
them too!
The Foundation Center's Finding Funders site has a Tennessee page at
http://fdncenter.org/funders/grantmaker/gws_comm/comm_tn.html that lists
community foundations.
Third, what about local or large-profile businesses in your area? Many,
many of the librarians I interviewed for TERRIFIC CONNNECTIONS WITH
AUTHORS, ILLUSTRATORS, AND STORYTELLERS were funding author visits in
school and public libraries with corporate money. Consider this!
Fourth, if you can get some SEED money for your first visits, and if you
buy the author's books directly from the publisher (at a 40% discount) and
then sell them at cover price, you can create a fund out of which you pay
future authors!
I hope that you'll be able to lay hands on a copy of TERRIFIC CONNECTIONS
and gather ideas from the many librarians interviewed there. And I REALLY
hope that you find some money--for books AND for authors and illustrators
in your school.
All the best,
Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS
Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS <mailto:tonibuzzeo@tonibuzzeo.com>
Maine Library Media Specialist of the Year Emerita
Longfellow School
432 Stevens Avenue
Portland, ME 04103
http://www.tonibuzzeo.com
===================================================================
Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for K-6
(Linworth 2002)
Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for 7-12
(Linworth, October 2002)
35 Best Books For Teaching U.S. Regions (Scholastic Professional 2002)
Terrific Connections with Authors, Illustrators, and Storytellers
(Libraries Unlimited 1999)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The Sea Chest, illustrated by Mary GrandPre (Dial 2002) NEWLY PUBLISHED!
Dawdle Duckling, illustrated by Margaret Spengler (Dial, January 2003)
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