NCFL’s long-time partner, the American Library Association, has announced a new grant opportunity for public libraries in Dollar General communities. This spring, the "American Dream Starts @ your library" will award grants of $5,000 each to 70 libraries this spring.

To be eligible for funding, the applicant institution must be a public library, or a public library with a bookmobile providing literacy services for adult English language learners. Applications will be accepted through Sunday, Feb. 28. To learn more and apply online, please visit www.americandreamtoolkit.org.

By the way, you can catch ALA’s president in action at NCFL’s upcoming conference. Camila Alire, ALA president, has a passion for family literacy. She’ll share her Family Literacy Focus initiative that offers family literacy activities including culturally diverse library-based activities focusing on traditional storytelling, family reading nights, and nontraditional families.

Psst . . . NCFL’s Libraries and Families Award application will be released next week. Remember, you hear it first on our blog!