I wrote a grant!

During the recent Founder’s Day celebration, I attended a workshop on grant writing.

The library at Tyler is quite bare. We have one donated painting and one donated wall hanging. A coworker and I both brought in some plants, and I change the book displays regularly. Thankfully the space is filled with student which make everything LIVELY!

The John Tyler Foundation sponsors an art contest every year, and the winning piece is reproduced in poster form and use for promotion throughout the year. The library needs art–what better art to inspire students than student art?

I wrote a small grant to have the past five posters framed and placed in the library. I am hoping not only to get this grant, but also to have this be an ongoing program for the library. I would like the Foundation to donate the framed art every year.

My coworkers were pretty enthusiastic, and each helped me proofread the grant. I will not lose my chance becasue of a typo or spelling mistake! This also allows everyone to get behind the project, by being involved in the grant-preparing process.

I should hear the result in November.

A Library Blog for John Tyler

During John Tyler’s Founders Day celebration, after all the inspirational speakers and the buffet lunch, we have an afternoon of professional development. Last year I had spoken at one of these sessions, and gave my hands-on presentation on blogging. This was the second time I had given this; I had given the same presentation to the President’s Board a month before (I think they were worried about what I was going to say!)

Since that introduction, blogging has been encouraged at Tyler. First, Kerrigan Sullivan kept a travel blog for the college trip to Britain this summer (a great use for a blog!) Then the college relations team helped a student start a political/election blog. Then, about a year after my original talk, the library was approached.  “Would the library like to start a blog?”

OF COURSE!

Though I am heading the project, the writing will be done collaboratively. I work with a very intelligent crew who are interesting thinkers and excellent writers. Helen will be adding some library and political entries; Larry will be doing some movie and history reviews. We will have a new voice, a new forum and a new way to reach students and faculty.