This fall YALSA is launching two brand new online courses! ‘ Monique Delatte, instructor for Growing, Managing and Defending the YA Budget, chatted with me about the course
Eve: You’re teaching a new class for YALSA that starts in October. Tell us about Growing, Managing and Defending the Young Adult Budget.
Monique: Times are tough, but librarians still want to provide patrons with exceptional library services. This course is about getting the support that you need, whether it is via grant money, Friends of the Library funding, or financial support from library management or boards. The class will also address developing a sustainable young adult services budget. Together, these skills help to build strong relationships with the funders who assist in providing the financial backing for much-needed services today and into the future.
Eve: What should students expect to learn from this course?
Monique: Most importantly, students will walk away with the tools to begin writing proposals that are addressed to the most relevant/appropriate funders, whether it is the Friends of the Library, the library director, or a corporation that serves their community. In the course, students will learn about discovering grant opportunities, creating a boilerplate description of their community, and creating successful collaborations with funders.
Eve: Tell us a little bit about the readings and assignments for this course.
Monique: Readings will include how to sell library services, how to budget, and how to find grants that are perfectly suited for your library. Assignments will also delve into what makes each community unique in terms of attracting funding.
Eve: How do class discussions work?
Monique: Each week we will discuss a new issue and students will post their ideas to an online forum. I am really looking forward to hearing from and responding to students as we discuss their successes or challenges in seeking funding. I am also interested in students’ reactions to the readings that I’ve found to be incredibly helpful to me as a grant hound.
Eve: What can students take away from this course?
Monique: Students will not only have information about where the funders are in their community, but also will create a boilerplate description of their community/funding needs that can be popped into most grant apps with only minor tweaking each time.
Eve: What motivated you to develop this course?
Monique: A number of librarians have called and written to me to ask, “Can you teach me how to write grants for my library?” Truly, grant-writing can’t be taught in a quick, casual conversation. Thinking about the folks who have reached out to me from all over the country helped to generate the idea for this course. Our discussions aided in selecting the course material, and determining the flow and goals of the course.
Eve: What are you most excited about in this course?
Monique: ‘ One of the best parts of teaching is learning from your students, because they bring a fresh point of view and are so inspiring. In this course, unique tips are shared that will point students in the right direction in terms of securing information about funding opportunities and developing financially-beneficial collaborations with funders. It is incredibly satisfying to have the opportunity to build a plan with students that will fund ideas for their communities.
