IMLS Grant Proposal For Maker Competencies And The Undergraduate Curriculum

Back in September, UTA Libraries submitted a preliminary two-page proposal for an IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries planning grant to pilot test our maker-based competencies in the undergraduate curriculum. I’m very excited to announce that in early December, we received an invitation from IMLS to submit our full 10-page proposal!

The invitation (while certainly welcomed with open arms!) could not have come at a more difficult time. The submission deadline was January 13, giving us only about a month to draft and finalize the proposal. I was getting ready to go out on medical leave for back surgery, and of course the entire planning team was cramming to wrap up fall semester, prepare for spring semester, and ready to settle down over winter break. Fortunately we were able to muscle through and get the proposal in by the deadline!

The planning team consists of myself, Gretchen Trkay (Department Head, Experiential Learning & Undergraduate Research, UTA Libraries), Katie Musick Peery (Director of UTA FabLab), Evelyn Barker (Director of Grants and Special Projects, UTA Libraries) and Tara Radniecki (Engineering Librarian at University of Nevada, Reno). Kathryn Pole, Assistant Professor of Literacy Studies at UTA, will be joining us as a consultant if we receive the award.

If awarded, this planning grant will incentivize up to three additional institutional partners (UNR is already a committed partner) at which to pilot test our early stage maker literacies program. The grant will fund small stipends for teaching faculty at each partner institution, materials for pilot courses, and travel for members of the planning team to visit partner institutions.

We expect to be notified in April. If we are awarded the grant, we will begin the process of identifying program partners over the summer. If your academic library makerspace would like to be considered for this program, please feel free to email me.