The State Library has received a $470,000 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to expand their popular ILEAD U initiative. Next year, ILEAD U becomes ILEAD USA. Twenty-eight 5-member teams in Illinois, Colorado, Iowa, Ohio and Utah will attend three 3-day, in-person sessions over the course of nine months.

ILEAD USA will be held March 25–28, June 17–20, and October 21–24, 2013. The sessions will be held simultaneously in each of the five states, with plenary sessions broadcast live on streaming video. In-person sessions, virtual meetings and activities will allow participants to hone their newly acquired skills; experiment with participatory technology tools; and continue communication with the ILEAD USA network of participants.

Organizers are encouraging interested individuals to begin thinking about being part of a team or serving as a mentor or instructor. Applications will be available shortly. If you have questions about ILEAD USA, please contact Gwen Harrison at gharrison@ilsos.net or 217-785-7334.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Through grants, policy development and research, the institute helps communities and individuals thrive by supporting broad public access to knowledge, cultural heritage and lifelong learning. To learn more about IMLS, please visit their website.