Alaska public libraries and combined school public libraries may apply for the Public Library Assistance grant each year. In order to receive this grant, the library must continue to meet a variety of ongoing eligibility requirements. Grant funds may be used to pay staff, purchase library materials, or pay for any other daily operating cost of the library.

Public Libraries Annual Report

All libraries that receive a Public Library Assistance grant are required to complete the Public Libraries Annual Report. You will receive an email with your access information around July 15. Reports are due by September 1.

In 2020, IMLS added 17 new questions, mostly related to COVID-19. These questions are largely yes/no and should be relatively easy for your library to answer. The following is a list of this year's questions, with the new questions in red.

At the end of June, acting Grants & Statistics Librarian Claire Imamura introduced the new questions to library directors and there were two questions. Other states provided the following guidance on these questions.

• Did the library allow users to complete registration for library cards online without having to come to the library during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic?
  • If the library provided cards over the phone, answer Yes.
• Did the library provide reference service via the Internet or telephone when the building was physically closed to the public during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic?
  • We plan to add an NA option for this question in case your library was not closed at all.