Section 3035.130  Educate & Automate Automation/Technology Grants

a)         Competitive grants

1)         Application for purchases of equipment and services that support library development and technological advancement (Section 8.5 of the Act) in libraries shall be made prior to July 1.  Applicants shall use the forms prepared and made available by the State Librarian for this purpose.

2)         Criteria will include whether the project plan contains information about the project goals and objectives, the methods used to achieve these goals and objectives, the number of people to be served, and whether the proposed budget is reasonable in view of the proposed goals.

3)         The number of grants to be awarded is at the discretion of the State Librarian.

4)         Applicants must meet requirements designated by the State Library for public access to electronic information and technology.

b)         Direct expenditures by the State Librarian may be made to support library development and technological advancement in libraries (Section 8.5 of the Act).

c)         Funding awarded under subsections (a) and (b) of this Section may be used for any or all of the following purposes:

1)         Telecommunications costs for electronic networks for ILLINET libraries and library systems;

2)         Computer hardware and software for ILLINET libraries and library systems;

3)         Access to electronic information by the general public through ILLINET libraries;

4)         Converting special collections and rare materials in ILLINET libraries into digital format, making them accessible by computer to students, researchers and the general public.

d)        The following reports and records will be completed and transmitted to the Illinois State Library:

1)         Quarterly financial reports due December 31, April 15 and July 15 showing expenditures made from grant funds by line item.

2)         Quarterly narrative reports due December 31, April 15 and July 15 stating the progress of the project; accomplishments to date; problems encountered; objectives met and unmet; changes implemented; and percentage of completion of the project to date.

3)         Final financial report and final narrative report due September 15 evaluating the degree to which the grantee achieved the goals and objectives of the project.

e)         Grants made under this Section are subject to the provisions of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act [30 ILCS 705].  If a provision of this Subpart conflicts with a provision of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act, then the provision of the Illinois Grant Funds Recovery Act controls.