The association for rural & small libraries (arsl), in collaboration with the chief officers of state library agencies and an advisory committee of rural and state library representatives, will…

The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded The Association for Rural & Small Libraries Inc. $523,796 on September 1, 2026, under the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (CFDA 45.313) to convert its existing IMLS-funded leadership institute into a 12-month online, asynchronous certification program for staff in rural and small libraries.

ARSL, in collaboration with the Chief Officers of State Library Agencies and an advisory committee of rural and state library representatives, will adapt existing curriculum content, build self-paced modules with peer engagement activities, and launch the certification with an initial national cohort. The online pathway addresses barriers to in-person training—travel constraints, scheduling conflicts, and staffing limitations—that have restricted access to leadership development for many rural and small library workers.

Performance takes place in Shoreline, Washington. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028.

The association for rural & small libraries (arsl), in collaboration with the chief officers of state library agencies and an advisory committee of rural and state library representatives, will convert its successful imls-funded leadership institute into an online, asynchronous certification program for staff in rural and small libraries. Many of these libraries are led by staff with limited access to leadership development, and travel, scheduling, and staffing constraints can be barriers to in-person training. An online certification will retain the proven curriculum while addressing these challenges. Arsl will adapt existing content, build self-paced modules with peer engagement activities, and launch the certification with an initial national cohort. The resulting 12-month online certification pathway will provide increased access to leadership preparation for rural and small library workers.