# Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (45.313)

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/programs/45-313-laura-bush-21st-century-librarian-program/  
Publisher: Well Told Grants. Data: USAspending.gov and Grants.gov, updated November 7, 2026.

Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program is run by Institute of Museum and Library Services. From fiscal 2021 to 2025 it awarded $43.7 million in 177 grants, about $246,823 per award.

## Objectives

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian (LB21) grant progam supports the recruitment, development, and retention of library and archives professionals to meet the information needs of their communities. GOAL 1: Recruit and educate future library and archives professionals, faculty, and staff. Obj. 1.1: Develop or enhance practices, programs, or initiatives encouraging students to pursue careers in library and information science. Obj. 1.2: Develop or enhance initiatives, programs, or curricula to increase to increase the capacity of institutions to educate or retain library and information science students. GOAL 2: Train and retain current library and archives professionals, faculty, and staff. Obj. 2.1: Develop or enhance professional development and training programs to enable the library and archival workforce to meet the needs of their communities. Obj. 2.2: Support the research of untenured, tenure-track library and information science faculty, furthering the faculty member’s long-term research agenda, career trajectory, and professional development.

## Funding by fiscal year

| Year | Amount | Awards |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $10.6 million | 41 |
| 2022 | $9.9 million | 38 |
| 2023 | $9.4 million | 40 |
| 2024 | $9.4 million | 39 |
| 2025 | $4.4 million | 24 |

## Largest recipients

| Recipient | State | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois | Illinois | $2.6 million |
| University of North Texas | Texas | $2.6 million |
| Califa Group | California | $1.9 million |
| University of Maryland, College Park | Maryland | $1.7 million |
| University of South Carolina | South Carolina | $1.5 million |
| Cosla Inc | Kentucky | $1.5 million |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina | $1.3 million |
| University of Washington | Washington | $1.3 million |
| American Library Association | Illinois | $1.3 million |
| Regents of the University of Michigan | Michigan | $990,061 |
| Syracuse University | New York | $938,429 |
| The Research Foundation for the State University of New York | New York | $925,597 |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University | Virginia | $862,386 |
| The University of Kentucky Research Foundation | Kentucky | $832,980 |
| Louisiana State University | Louisiana | $781,614 |
| Florida State University | Florida | $770,168 |
| Old Dominion University Research Foundation | Virginia | $740,145 |
| Alaska Library Network | Alaska | $704,843 |
| Association of Moving Image Archivists | California | $678,450 |
| Clemson University | South Carolina | $658,250 |

## Open opportunities

- [Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program (2027)](https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/lb21-fy27-laura-bush-21st-century-librarian-program-2027/), closes November 13, 2026