New Initiatives Grant

 

CLRC’s New Initiatives Grants have come to an end but we’ll be replacing them with a new grant coming Fall 2023!

Have questions regarding previous grants or what’s to come moving forward? Contact Rebecca Kluberdanz Honsinger at rhonsinger@clrc.org.

The goal of New Initiatives grants was to help break down barriersimagine the impossible, and foster creativity. We funded ideas that sought new ways to tackle problems, face challenges, or fulfill needs in libraries. Check our winners below!

Jenna Ballard, Chittenango Middle School

Book Nook Boxes

A sixth grade ELA class will create personalized book subscription boxes for students in a fifth grade ELA class.

Final Report


Kristen Neri, Manlius Library

Manlius Library Care Kits

Manlius Library staff will develop community-oriented programs and resources for underserved populations, such as the elderly and individuals with low-vision. They will create a low-vision kit and three levels of memory kits for those with dementia, and their caregivers, that will both circulate and be used during librarian outreach visits to senior residences, day programs, and senior centers.


Claire Ehrlich, Mohawk Valley Community College

Multilingual Bestseller Collection

Mohawk Valley Community College’s Utica campus library will extend its popular leisure reading collection to include the most widely-spoken non-English languages on campus.


Amanda DuBose, Syracuse University

A Pop-Up Collection at the Syracuse Stage

This project will provide a point of access for an underserved segment of the student/staff/faculty population by bringing library resources to them.


 

Shauna Modrow, Onondaga County Public Library

Teen Book Box

Hazard branch library will create a monthly “Teen Book Box” service that will offer a tailored “subscription”-like literary-themed book box for teen library patrons across the city.

Final Report


Margaret Martin, Soule Branch Library

Soule Branch Library SEL Manga/Anime Afterschool Program

Soule Branch Library, located directly across the street from HW Smith preK-8 School, proposes a weekly social emotional learning (SEL) tween manga/anime afterschool program for the 2022/23 school year, augmented by a specially curated manga collection with a focus on youth mental health.

Final Report


Darcy Barber, Liverpool Central School District

Dynamic Elementary Library Shelving

This project will create dynamic elementary library shelving which will empower our K-2 readers to independently and successfully browse for, and locate books of interest to them.

Final Report


Aneisa Linton, Westhill Central School District

Westhill Libraries Summer Book Bonanza!

This project will provide books free of charge that children may keep as their own. The promotion of reading coupled with access to free books will encourage children to read more over the summer months and combat summer learning loss.

Final Report


Heather Leahey, Willow Field Elementary School

Full STEAM Ahead at WFE Library

The library is preparing to become better suited for K-2 students and will begin to incorporate more STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in the library.

Final Report


Lindsey Cesari, Baldwinsville Central School District

Making for Mental Health

The librarian and school counseling staff (guidance counselors, school psychologists, and social workers) will collaborate to help students create mental health tools (like an origami worry box or stress balls) and then learn how to use them.

Final Report


Jackie Alex, Bolivar Road Elementary – Chittenango Central Schools

Sunshine Days

The school librarian will work with a team of teachers to deliver Social Emotional, Character Education, Culturally Responsive, and Mindfulness Lessons to the students in our Pre-K -Grade 4 school. 

Final Report

Alyssa Ali, Maxwell Memorial Library

Sensory Garden

The library’s side yard will be transformed into an attractive, accessible, safe space for young children and their caregivers, to explore on their own or as part of library programming, a sensory nature-oriented experience.

Final Report


Jen Tolley, Northern Onondaga Public Library

Homebound Delivery Tablets

Outreach staff at the Northern Onondaga Public Library seeks to make it possible for patrons enrolled in our Homebound Delivery program to enjoy digital materials by beginning to loan out tablets with pre-downloaded items.

Final Report

Jennine Bloomquist, Camden Middle School

Biking by the Book

An irresistible combination, this program focuses on combining the stress-reducing activities of exercising and reading for maximum results.

Final Report


Pauline Shostack, Onondaga Community College

Scalable Makerspace Fan Creation Station

This proposal will allow OCC to create a three-tiered USB powered personal fan makerspace creation station. Students will have the opportunity to learn basic mechanical assembly, electrical wiring, 3D printing, and more.

Final Report


Maggie Gall-Maynard & Alyssa Newton, Onondaga Free Library – Karen Fenner & Karin Backus, Westhill Central School District

On the Trail: From New York to Nome

The Onondaga Free Library, in partnership with Westhill Central School District, will present an innovative month-long learning opportunity around the theme of the Iditarod. The learning activities will include access to GPS monitoring of the 2020 race, opportunities to use virtual and augmented reality, and a presentation by Iditarod racer, Karen Land, and one of her sled dogs, Noggin.

Final Report


Tatiana Sahm, Onondaga County Public Library

Nature Backpacks for Libraries

Nature Backpacks for Libraries are circulating kits in a backpack, which include items such as binoculars, magnifying glasses, and short format, engaging reading material about local flora and fauna. Nature Backpacks will boost STEM learning and encourage scientific curiosity.

Final Report


Erin Cassidy, Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville

Art in Conversation: Jacob Lawrence & James Baldwin

Art in Conversation: Jacob Lawrence & James Baldwin is a project designed by the Everson Museum of Art and the Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville to address socially relevant topics and provide an opportunity to spark community dialogue.

Final Report


Anne Nassar, Little Falls Public Library

Paint Your Masterpiece

The program would supply participants with everything patrons need to paint a picture: canvas, paint, a brush, and an art teacher (via Zoom). Then, Little Falls Public Library will host an art show in our gallery.

Final Report


Jennifer McDonald, LaFayette School District

Little Embedded Libraries

This project will build little libraries and install them throughout the school district at historical sites and important institutions. The little libraries will be “library boxes” transmitting wifi signals that connect to any wifi capable device to provide digital content created by school students.

Final Report


Julia Schult, Baldwinsville Public Library

Baldwinsville Library VR Tour Kit

Baldwinsville Public Library will create a “VR Tour Kit” which can be circulated to schools, businesses, clubs, and nonprofit organizations in our area. The kit would contain everything needed to create an online 360-degree tour of physical space they would like to share with people online.

Final Report


Joellyn Murry, Liverpool Public Library

School Story Walks

Liverpool Public Library would like to partner with Liverpool School Librarians to provide story walks at each of them elementary schools. They will provide each school with a new story every week from April until the end of the school year.

Final Report


Megan Gillander, Oneida Public Library

OPaL’s News Network

Oneida Public Library would like to provide the education, equipment, and technical assistance for area youth to record, edit, and share their own news stories via OPaL’s News Network, a library YouTube channel.

Final Report

 

Carol Johnson, Mundy Branch Library

STARLAB Roving Planetarium Visits Syracuse City Libraries

STARLAB roving planetarium will visit Syracuse city libraries in support of the 2019 summer reading program theme, “Universe of Stories.” The planetarium presentation will enhance STEM learning, encourage scientific curiousity among urban youth, and engage children.

Final Report


Nickie Marquis, Skaneateles Library

Explore the World Kits

These kits will spark a child’s curiousity in the people and places around the world using aspects of reading, geography, and play.

Final Report


Mary Klucznik, Chittenango High School

New Media: The Silent Generation

“The Silent Generation” will create a podcasting studio in the Chittenango High School library designed for students enrolled in the New Media course and accessibile to all Chittenango high school students.

Final Report

Karen Fenner, Westhill High School

Expeditions for Everyone

Google Expeditions kits will provide students with virtual trips that can pair with teacher curriculum. In partnership with Onondaga Free Public Library, kits will be available for programming and activities during the summer months or for special events during the school year.


Nicole Hershberger, Northern Onondaga Public Library at Cicero

Community Playdate: An Anji Play-based Outreach Pilot

Based on the practices and philosophy of “Anji Play,” this partnership with the Town of Clay Department of Recreation will provide opportunities for children to experience self-determined, free, and open-ended play. Libraries provide information to parents about how to read, sing, talk, and the means for play but not the modeling. This pilot will test this Anji Play approach in a library sponsored community based setting.

Final Report


Sue LeBlanc, Madison-Oneida BOCES

From School to Public: Providing a Bridge for Student & Family Use of Public Library

This program aids to leverage school librarian-student relationships to promote public library use and combat “summer slide.” School librarians will collaborate with local public librarians to be involved with summer public library programming.


Jake Hare, Liverpool Public Library

Virtual Traveling

VR hardware can be used to provide patrons of existing programs with a richer, more engaging multimedia experience. Programs that are already popular can use it to enhance the experience of attendees and new outreach programs can take the materials out of the library building to expand patron services.


Doreen Bergman, OCM BOCES

Celebrating Diverse Readers!

To meet the needs of a growing English as New Language population the grant will help create a dual language library. Mini-collections of these picture books will be shared with students and their parents throughout the region.


Joshua Finnell, Colgate University

Data Analysis & Collaboration Network

This project aims to create a consortium of “isolated statisticians and data librarians” across the State of New York for faculty and students at smaller universities and colleges.

Final Report


April Bliss, Dunham Public Library

Stop Motion Publicity Videos

Library teens will create videos to express their appreciation for the library providing a safe place and supportive staff so they can continue to learn and grow by exploring innovative technologies.

Final Report


Elizabeth Hartnett & Janice Murray, Oneida/Herkimer BOCES

Engineering in a Novel Way

This project will create sets of lessons and supporting materials that combine ideas of Novel Engineering and Information Literacy for K-6 grade levels. Teacher Librarians will create kits that support these lessons to circulate to area schools to support STEAM and Information literacy.

Final Report