KY Department Libraries & Archives

The Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA), a U.S. state government entity headquartered in Frankfort, Kentucky, acts as a federal grant recipient delivering library and archival services, professional development, and information access programs to Kentucky residents and library professionals under grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and other federal agencies. KDLA operates exclusively as a prime recipient on federal grants; it holds no federal contract vehicles and does not subcontract on federal awards.

KDLA's federal footprint is anchored in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) formula grants from IMLS under CFDA 45.310. The agency has received four consecutive LSTA formula grants of approximately $3.8 million to $4.1 million each, covering award periods from October 2021 through September 2027. These grants support KDLA's Five-Year Plan goals across three service categories: Information Access (providing Kentucky residents with access to information resources and public records), Institutional Capacity (enhancing professional knowledge and skills of public library and archival staff through training and development), and Lifelong Learning (supporting public libraries in delivering programming for early literacy, youth development, employment support, and civic engagement). As the designated state library administrative agency, KDLA distributes LSTA funds through competitive subawards and cooperative agreements with eligible public, academic, research, school, and special libraries and consortia throughout Kentucky. A representative award is the $4.1 million formula grant (October 2025 through September 2027) enabling KDLA to deliver electronic databases, computer instruction, summer reading programs, digitization projects, adaptive technology access, bookmobile services, and targeted outreach to children, families, job seekers, and senior citizens.

In addition to recurring formula funding, KDLA has received a $249,388 project grant from IMLS's Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (August 2024 through July 2027), awarded in partnership with the University of Kentucky School of Information Science and the Kentucky Public Library Association, to create and deliver three-track leadership development training (Foundational Leadership, Advanced Leadership, and Library Governance) for library personnel and trustees, with an online toolkit and replication guide for other state libraries.

IMLS dominates KDLA's federal customer concentration. The top three funding agencies account for 97% of awards: IMLS (12 awards), the National Commission on Libraries and Information Science (12 awards), and the National Archives and Records Administration (10 awards). KDLA's award volume has remained modest — two awards in 2021, one in 2022, two in 2023, two in 2024, and one in 2025 — with combined dollars obligated across all awards totaling $76.5 million over the source period. Two awards reach ultimate completion inside the next twenty-four months.