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Keyword
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Question
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Answer
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Formatting
your application
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Should
I type my application directly on-line?
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We
recommend that you prepare the text in a word processed file.
(We have found that Microsoft Word files are consistently
compatible.) When
you are certain that the information is correct and in final
form, cut and paste each section into the application boxes
where appropriate.
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We
are concerned that bold, bullets, underlines, and other
formatting will not translate from our word processing program
to the on-line application form.
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The
formatting may not translate. Do not use bold, bullets, or
underlines. Keep the formatting simple. We recommend you use
Microsoft Word for best compatibility with this application.
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Can
we put information in “quotation marks”?
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No.
Do not use quotation marks.
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Award
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Is
a Laura Bush Foundation Grant considered a federal grant?
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No.
The LBF is an independent foundation. It is supported by
private donations.
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Is
there a time frame for spending funds awarded?
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Yes.
The funds must be spent within 180 days of notification
of the award.
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How
many grants are awarded?
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The
number of grants awarded is a function of the amount of money
available from the endowment.
In 2005, 164 grants were awarded out of nearly 900
applicants.
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What
is the evaluation program? (no. 18)
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The
LBF may collect additional information to help improve its
efforts.
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Definitions
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Book
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A
hardbound
print or Braille volume to be added to either the circulating or
reference section of the school library collection. Please note
that the definition does not include
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Electronic or digital books
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Books-on-tape
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Audio or video tape
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CD-ROM
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DVD
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Any student or teacher guide to the book, whether offered
in print or another media
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Any test, quiz, workbook, or exercise book, whether
offered in print or another media.
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Library
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A library is a uniquely designated
space in which books and other materials systematically
classified and arranged by subject and type are stored and used
by the students and adults in a school.
Please
note that the definition does not
include either classroom sets of books, collections of books
stored in a room that are not organized and classified in a
systematic way, or collections of books on rolling carts of any
description.
Only
schools that have a library that meets this definition may apply
for a LBF grant.
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Librarian
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For
the purposes of the LBF grant application only,
a librarian is the person designated by the school
administration as responsible for the collection, care, and use
of the materials housed in the dedicated space of the library.
Ideally, this person is a certified school librarian.
Realizing, however, that conditions in a given school
might require that a teacher, aide, paraprofessional, or other
person take this responsibility, the operative part of the
definition resides in the word “responsible.”
Only schools that have a person assigned responsibility
for the library may apply for a LBF grant.
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Eligibility
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Can
private and charter schools apply?
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Yes
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Can
we apply if we have no library?
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Not
usually. The purpose
of the LBF for America's Libraries is to enhance operating
school libraries. Please
see the definition of "library" elsewhere in this
information packet. The
LBF does not fund class sets of books, books for classroom
collections, nor informal book collections that are not
organized and classified.
If
your school is in the process of developing its first library,
the application must be submitted by the person already
identified as the individual who will be responsible for the
library.
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Can
we apply if we do not have a librarian?
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No.
You must have a person designated as the "school
librarian." He
or she does not necessarily have to be a certified librarian,
but must be identified as the person responsible for the
library. Please see
the definitions of "library" and "librarian"
elsewhere in this information packet.
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The
county library serves as our school library.
Are we eligible to apply?
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Yes.
Please be aware, however, that all else being equal,
preference is given to stand-alone school libraries.
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Can
a library project for public housing residents apply?
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No.
While we hope to be able to support such worthwhile
projects in the future, the LBF at present can only fund school
library enhancements.
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Can
schools outside the national capital region apply?
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Yes.
Schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, all
American territories, and Department of Defense schools in other
countries are eligible to apply.
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Are
home-schools eligible to apply?
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No.
Please see the definitions of "school,"
"library," and "librarian" elsewhere in this
information packet.
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Can public/rural libraries apply?
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No.
While we hope to be able to support such worthwhile and
important institutions in the future, the LBF at present can
only fund school library enhancements.
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Can
alternative learning academies, not stand-alone schools, apply?
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Not
if the school in which they are embedded has a school library.
If the school does not have a library, they may be
eligible to apply if they themselves have a facility and
operation that meets the definition of a library and have a
person whose function meets the definition of a librarian found
elsewhere in this information packet.
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May
a library submit more than one application if it serves more
than one constituency? For
example, if the library serves both a middle school and a high
school?
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Each
library, regardless of the variety of constituents it may serve,
is limited to one application per year.
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Can
more than one school in a district apply?
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Yes.
LBF grants are awarded to individual schools and not to
districts. All the
schools in a given district are welcome to apply but each school
must submit an application that is specific to their needs.
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How
do I find the free and reduced lunch % for my school?
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First,
talk with your principal. He
or she should have the information readily available.
If not, check with your district office.
If that doesn't work, consult the following website: www.nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/
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Why
does the Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries target
only schools with a very high percentage of students who qualify
for free or reduced price lunch?
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The
Laura Bush Foundation for America's Libraries understands that
most schools need money for books and that school and library
budgets are often inadequate. However, because the
Foundation is new and because funds are limited, we are
targeting the nation's neediest schools and students for grants.
In order to establish need, the committee is using the widely
known and reported "free and reduced price lunch
percentage" as its criteria for establishing need.
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Information
submitted
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Should
we include tables, charts, or other information in attachments?
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No.
Please enter all relevant information into the form
provided. Please do
not send any additional information as an attachment.
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How
specific should we be in describing the books to be purchased?
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Please
limit your description only to types or categories of books to
be purchased. Please
do not list specific titles.
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I
already submitted the application but need to add or change some
information. Is there a way to do that?
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No.
Be sure your application is complete and correct before
submitting it as the submission is final. Duplicate submissions
will not be considered.
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I want a copy of my application. How can I get one?
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We suggest you compose each section of the application into a
Word document and then copy it to the appropriate sections of
the application. Save your Word file. If you are using a
PC, you can save the completed application by using the
following steps before you submit
the application: Hit File, Save As, Save As Type: web page. Be
sure you know to WHERE you saved it to be able to find it again.
You might just save it to desktop.
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I saved the application and came back to it later to finish
but it will not submit properly.
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You cannot save the online application for
later submission. You must submit it online while it is current.
Compose and save all your responses in Word. When you are ready,
copy and paste responses into the online application boxes.
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Some of my content does not appear in the box.
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You might be submitting more than the
allotted number of characters. Characters include spaces and
punctuation.
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Information
submitted - budget
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How
specific should we be in budget information?
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Please
submit two pieces of budget information:
(1) How many dollars you spent on books in previous years from
all sources, and (2) how many dollars you expect to spend on
books this year from all sources.
Please see the definition of a "book" elsewhere
in this information packet.
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When
you ask for our budget figures, do you want us to include all
sources, such as Title VI, other grants or donations, proceeds
from book fairs, etc.?
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Yes.
Please submit two pieces of budget information:
(1) How many dollars you spent on books in previous years from
all sources, and (2) how many dollars you expect to spend on
books this year from all sources.
Please see the definition of a "book" elsewhere
in this information packet.
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We're
confused over the definition of the "book budget."
Does that include the entire library budget?
Does it include the textbook budget?
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The
book budget refers to the number of dollars spent on books from
all sources for the school library.
It does not include classroom textbooks used in the
school, nor any personnel or operating costs associated with the
library apart from book purchases.
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Purchasing
guidelines
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Can
we include processing costs as part of our requested amount?
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All
grant dollars are to be spent for books alone.
Funds may be used to purchase books that are
pre-processed.
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Can
we purchase Accelerated Reader, Reading Counts or other tests
with grant funds?
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No.
All grant dollars are to be spent for books alone.
Please see the definition of a "book" elsewhere
in this information packet.
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Can
the funds be used to purchase digital books?
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No.
LBF funds can be used only to purchase print or Braille
volumes. Please see
the definition of "book" elsewhere in this information
packet.
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Can
we use the funds to purchase cassettes to accompany books (i.e.,
ESOL)?
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No.
LBF funds can be used only to purchase print or Braille
volumes. Please see
the definition of "book" elsewhere in this information
packet.
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Can
the LBF funds be used to purchase shelving, CD-Roms, audio or
video tapes, DVDs, or classroom books?
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No.
LBF funds can be used only to purchase print or Braille
volumes for the school library.
Please see the definition of "book" elsewhere
in this information packet.
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Submission
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Can
paraprofessionals apply?
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Yes,
but only if that paraprofessional is designated by the
administration as the person responsible for operating the
library. Please see the definition of "librarian".
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Whose
permission do we need in order to apply?
The district's? The
state's?
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Permission
to apply must be determined by the school wishing to submit an
application. If you
have questions about this, please check with your district
office regarding any pertinent grant application policies or
regulations it may have. The
LBF does not require that the district, the county, the state,
or any other agency approve any application.
The LBF's focus is on the individual school.
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Can
I get the principal’s permission later?
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No.
The Principal must agree to submission of the LBF grant
proposal.
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Can
applications be submitted via email?
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No.
All applications must be submitted via the on-line
application form.
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Can
changes be made once the application is submitted?
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No.
An application is final once it has been submitted.
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Can
an application be sent from a home computer or must it be sent
from a school computer?
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Your
application can be submitted using any computer that is
connected to the internet.
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Must
the application be written by a school employee?
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The
application must be submitted by the person who has been
designated as the school's librarian.
Please see the definition of "librarian"
elsewhere in this information packet.
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Missed
the deadline for submission
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No
submissions will be accepted after the deadline.
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I
did not get email confirmation of submission
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Most
likely, you typed the wrong email address on the application.
The confirmation is automatically generated and sent to the
address exactly as it appeared on the application.
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Technical
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Access
to the application timed out before I sent it. I lost my
information.
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Prepare
and save your answers in Microsoft Word. Then copy and paste the
content to the appropriate boxes.
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Access
to the application timed out before I sent it. Why?
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Your
internet provider may have timed you out. There may have been a
power surge. Or many other reasons could cause this. To avoid
losing your information, prepare and save your answers in
Microsoft Word. Then copy and paste the content to the
appropriate boxes.
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I
cannot see all of the text in the box.
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Use
the scroll bar on the side of the box to see more text.
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A
word count in Word spell-check is different from what the
counter shows.
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The
counter shows characters and spaces, not words.
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I
get an error message on the numbers boxes.
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You
cannot use commas or spaces.
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I
get an error message that data is missing.
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Your
cursor is automatically returned to the place you are required
to fill in something.
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I
got a Virus alert
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Your
network may not allow you access into our site during high alert
times. The LBF server is well protected from viruses. The
problem is most likely the applicant’s.
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I notice the font sizes and/or bolding is
not consistent in the application
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This may be a function of your browser. If
you are using Microsoft Internet Explorer, go to:
"view", "textsize", and click on
"medium".
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How will I know you received the
application?
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You will receive notice at the email
address on your application. Be certain the email you type in is
correct.
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