Lake Agassiz Regional Library Legacy Grant SFY 2018 - SFY 2019
Minnesota's twelve regional library systems, which encompass more than 350 public libraries in all areas of the state, can benefit from a portion of the Legacy Amendment's Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Through State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Department of Education, each regional library system is eligible to receive a formula-driven allocation from the annual $2.5 million Minnesota Regional Library System Legacy Grant. Lake Agassiz Regional Library (LARL) is a consolidated regional public library system in northwestern Minnesota. LARL has thirteen branch public libraries and nine Library Link sites located in seven counties: Becker, Clay, Clearwater, Mahnomen, Norman, Polk, and Wilkin. With Arts and Cultural Heritage funds, LARL and its member libraries present an array of arts, cultural, literary, and Minnesota history programs in collaboration with arts and cultural organizations, independent artists, historical societies, and community organizations. Projects contribute to the cultural vitality of the region and build a lasting legacy.
These amounts are appropriated to the commissioner of education for grants to the 12 Minnesota regional library systems to provide educational opportunities in the arts, history, literary arts, and cultural heritage of Minnesota. These funds must be allocated using the formulas in Minnesota Statutes, section 134.355, subdivisions 3, 4, and 5, with the remaining 25 percent to be distributed to all qualifying systems in an amount proportionate to the number of qualifying system entities in each system. For purposes of this subdivision, "qualifying system entity" means a public library, a regional library system, a regional library system headquarters, a county, or an outreach service program. These funds may be used to sponsor programs provided by regional libraries or to provide grants to local arts and cultural heritage programs for programs in partnership with regional libraries. These funds must be distributed in ten equal payments per year. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, the appropriations encumbered on or before June 30, 2019, as grants or contracts in this subdivision are available until June 30, 2021.
Total number of projects: 22
Total number of programs and/or events (if different than total number of projects): 110
Total attendance/participation: 5,309
Total number of partnerships: 14
The program with the highest attendance of a program from this series was Successful Gardening on the Northern Prairie Featuring Eric Bergeson, local author and gardener. Bergeson traveled to ten Lake Agassiz Regional Library communities, drawing hundreds of attendees. Bergeson's style of talking about gardening with the local soil type and climate, along with his anecdotes from experiences with the people of the region, proved to be both educational and highly entertaining. Attendees appreciated his honesty, sense of humor, the way in which he delivered practical information, and his way of interacting with audience members, it was truly entertaining.
These amounts are appropriated to the commissioner of education for grants to the 12 Minnesota regional library systems to provide educational opportunities in the arts, history, literary arts, and cultural heritage of Minnesota. These funds must be allocated using the formulas in Minnesota Statutes, section 134.355, subdivisions 3, 4, and 5, with the remaining 25 percent to be distributed to all qualifying systems in an amount proportionate to the number of qualifying system entities in each system. For purposes of this subdivision, "qualifying system entity" means a public library, a regional library system, a regional library system headquarters, a county, or an outreach service program. These funds may be used to sponsor programs provided by regional libraries or to provide grants to local arts and cultural heritage programs for programs in partnership with regional libraries. These funds must be distributed in ten equal payments per year. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, the appropriations encumbered on or before June 30, 2019, as grants or contracts in this subdivision are available until June 30, 2021.
Total number of projects: 17
Total number of programs and/or events (if different than total number of projects): 66
Total attendance/participation: 2472
Total number of partnerships: 11