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Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)

This guide provides information on LSTA grant opportunities in Pennsylvania.
Tags: grants, LSTA

Instructions

In order to better capture the work of Pennsylvania libraries; IMLS requires specific activity reports that provide quantitative data associated with the intent of Library Service and Technology Act (LSTA) funded projects. 

Combine activities that were repeated or those of similar topics on one Worksheet.

Only report on activities paid in full or part with federal funds.

Electronically submit report(s) by clicking the 'Submit Form' button at the end of the report.

In the email subject, list [YOUR ORGANIZATION NAME] [TYPE OF WORKSHEET] Worksheet, FC# [FROM CONTRACT]

Save worksheet(s) prior to completing.  The 'Submit Form' button will only work from the locally saved form.

Instruction Worksheet

Instruction activities involve an interaction for knowledge or skill transfer.
Complete the Instruction Worksheet if the project activities include:
Programs: Formal interaction and active user engagement (e.g., a class on computer skills). 
Presentations/Performance: Formal interaction and passive user engagement (e.g., an author’s talk). 
Consultations/Reference: Informal interaction with an individual or group of individuals (library staff or other professional) who provide expert advice or reference services to individuals, units, or organizations. 
A separate Instruction Worksheet should be created for Program, Presentation, or Consultation.
Use the required survey questions for program activities targeting library workforce OR general public.

Content Worksheet

Content activities involve the acquisition, development, or transfer of information.
Complete the Content Worksheet if the project activities include:
Acquisition: Selecting, ordering, and receiving materials for library or archival collections by purchase, exchange, or gift, which may include budgeting and negotiating with outside agencies (i.e. publishers, vendors) to obtain resources. May also include procuring software or hardware for the purposes of storing and/or retrieving information or enabling the act of experiencing, manipulating, or otherwise interacting with an information resource.
Creation: Design or production of an information tool or resource (e.g., digital objects, curricula, manuals). Includes digitization or the process of converting data to digital format for processing by a computer.
Description: Apply standardized descriptive information and/or apply such information in a standardized format to items or groups of items in a collection for purposes of intellectual control, organization, and retrieval.
Lending: Provision of a library’s resources and collections through the circulation of materials (general circulation, reserves). May also refer to the physical or electronic delivery of documents from a library collection to the residence or place of business of a library user, upon request.
Preservation: Effort that extends the life or use life of a living or non-living collection, the individual items or entities included in a collection, or a structure, building, or site by reducing the likelihood or speed of deterioration.
A separate Content Worksheet should be created for Acquisition, Creation, Description, Lending, or Preservation.
Use the required survey questions for content acquisition and creation activities targeting library workforce.

Planning and Evaluation Worksheet

Planning and Evaluation activities involve design, development, or assessment of operations, services, or resources.
Complete the Planning and Evaluation Worksheet if the project activities include:
Retrospective: Research effort that involves historical assessments of the condition of a project, program, service, operation, resource and/or user group.
Prospective: Research effort that projects or forecasts a future condition of a project, program, service, operation, resource, and/or user group.
A separate Planning and Evaluation Worksheet should be created for Retrospective or Prospective.
Use the required survey questions for planning and evaluation activities targeting library workforce.

Procurement Worksheet

Procurement activities involve purchasing facilities, equipment/supplies, hardware/software, or other materials (not content) that support general library infrastructure.
Complete the Procurement Worksheet if the project activities include:
Acquiring or leasing facilities; purchasing equipment/supplies, hardware/software, or other materials (not content) that support general library infrastructure.