Call for Application - 2026 CALASYS Mini-Grant Program

Dear colleagues,

The CALASYS Subcommittee is pleased to announce the launch of the CALASYS Mini-Grant Program. It is designed to support the growth of the Chinese American Librarians Association Academic Resources & Repository System (CALASYS) by providing financial support to chapters and individual members who contribute to the preservation of our collective professional heritage.

I. Purpose of the Grant

CALASYS (https://ir.cala-web.org/) is an academic resource and repository system specifically designed to collect, organize, and centrally store scholarly publications, archival materials, and professional resources contributed by Chinese American librarians, library staff, and other library and information professionals. These grants aim to accelerate the population of the repository while recognizing the curation efforts of our members.

II. Grant Details

• Award Amount: Two (2) grants of $250 each (Totaling $500).
• Award Basis: Successful applicants must commit to adding a minimum of 30 high-quality entries into the CALASYS repository.
• Eligibility: Open to all CALA Chapters and Individual CALA Members in good standing.

III. Scope of Eligible Collections

We invite proposals for collections that highlight the diversity and depth of Chinese American librarianship. Potential project categories include:

• Scholarly Works: Scholarly articles, white papers, and posters.
• Organizational History: CALA or Chapter conference proceedings, annual reports, and newsletters.
• Chinese American History & Community: Historical documents, oral history transcripts, community newsletters, and archival materials documenting the Chinese American experience and/or library services to these communities.
• Multimedia & Oral History: Recorded webinars, interviews, or event photography.
• Other Subject-Specific Resources: Curated bibliographies, instructional toolkits, or specialized LIS guides.

2026 CALASYS Grant Application Form

Submission Email: calasys@cala-web.org | Deadline: April 30, 2026

Section 1: Applicant Profile

• Full Name:
• Professional Title & Institutional Affiliation:
• CALA Affiliation: (Include membership status, offices held, and/or chapter name)
• Professional Biography (100-250 words):

Section 2: Proposal Narrative

• Project Title:
• Grant Category: [ ] Chapter Project [ ] Individual Member Project [ ] Other (Please specify)____________
• Introduction to the Collection: (Describe the materials you intend to deposit. Why are these resources important to CALASYS?)
• Description of Included Items: (Outline the format and number of items—e.g., "20 PDFs of conference papers, 20 presentation slide decks.")
• Significance of the Collection: (How does this work advance the mission of CALA or benefit the broader LIS community?)

Section 3: Project Execution

• Timeline for Deposit: (Briefly outline your plan for uploading the required 30+ entries.)
• Technical Information: (Are the materials in digital format? Do you have the necessary permissions/copyright to share these works?)
• Other Related Information/Comments:

By participating in this grant program, you are not only securing funding for your professional or chapter activities but also ensuring that the contributions of Chinese-American librarians are preserved, discoverable and recognized.

Thank you for your interest and participation!

The CALASYS Subcommittee

Sai Deng (Co-chair)
Suzhen Chen (Co-Chair)
Elaine Kong
Yu Huang