Grants

During the submission window, CDLC members are invited to submit proposals for digitization and collections projects. Projects may include contributing content to New York Heritage or NYS Historic Newspapers, creating finding aids for the Empire Archival Discovery Cooperative, enhancing existing metadata, or covering one-time setup costs for joining the Cooperative.

Supported by the New York State Basic Aid to Libraries, these grants are designed to enhance access to collections and raise the profile of regional resources.

Grant recipients must submit a final report detailing how funds were used and the number of records enhanced or digitized. Libraries may also be asked to share their project in a CDLC publication or at a CDLC event.

For questions about the application process, please contact Kari Kakeh (kkakeh@cdlc.org).

Applications for this grant are accepted from December through the end of February each year. 

Applications are reviewed by a group made up of members from a variety of CDLC member institutions, using a scoring rubric as part of the decision-making process. Recommended projects are then presented to the CDLC Board of Trustees for approval. CDLC has reserved a total of $30,000 annually for this program. A notice will be posted on the CDLC website when the application window is closed.

Once approved by the CDLC Board of Trustees, applicants will be notified of the status of their proposal.  Any awarded funds must be spent by June 30th of the following fiscal year or be forfeited.

We give priority to projects that highlight undiscovered collections in our region, align with CDLC's strategic goals (see our Plan of Service), or involve collaborative efforts between two or more CDLC members. Projects that encompass a complete collection, submissions from first-time applicants, or include long and complete runs of newspapers on microfilm are also especially welcome. While these priorities help guide our selection, we are open to considering other types of proposals as well.

Please review our past recipients and project descriptions to learn more about the types of projects that get funded.

For newspapers, if the submitted title includes issues outside the public domain, copyright clearance must be obtained. More information on newspaper projects is available on NYS Historic Newspapers. If the newspaper title does not appear on Chronicling America, a MARC record will need to be provided.

If you are interested in joining or contributing to New York Heritage or the Empire Archival Discovery Cooperative, please contact Susan D'Entremont (susan@cdlc.org) for eligibility information and instructions. Note that New York Heritage uses CONTENTdm, and the client software must be downloaded to your workstation.

CDLC member institutions, including public and school libraries, can submit one grant application per year for up to $8,000. Applications are welcome from both first-time applicants and past recipients. Submissions should include a project summary, detailed description, itemized budget, and an explanation of how materials will be made accessible to the public and align with CDLC's strategic goals. A final report is required to receive awarded funds.