Previous KLAEF Grant Recipients

KLAEF's mission is simple: every library staff member in Kansas, no matter the size or budget of the library they work for, should have access to professional development opportunities. The Continuing Education Grant program funds degrees, national conferences, trainings, even KLA attendance itself -- helping close gaps where they exist, and expanding what's possible for library staff across the state.

Here's what this year's recipients are doing with their grants:

Erin is putting her grant toward an MLS at Emporia State, driven by a commitment to rural Northwest Kansas communities and to building more equitable access to information and lifelong learning across the region. 

Sara is using her grant toward an MLS through Emporia State's SLIM program. Her goal, in her words, is "fostering a lifelong love of reading" in the kinds, teens, and families she serves every day.

Robin spent her grant on an MIT course in deploying AI within organizations. She's already put it to work -- using new cost-estimation skills to help evaluate whether an AI-powered catalog search tool is financially realistic for member libraries, with more practical applications expected by the end of the course.

Terri is headed to the ARSL Conference in Montgomery, Alabama this September -- a conference built specifically for rural and small library staff, and a chance to bring ideas back home to St. Francis.