Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Library Announces Grant Recipients for Educational App Development

  • 09/10/15

Washington, D.C. — The Library of Congress today announced the selection of three organizations that will receive a total of $950,000 during the next two years to support the development of engaging web- and mobile-based applications on the subjects of Congress and civic participation, for use in K-12 classrooms.

The Library received 33 proposals from a wide range of public, private, not-for profit and for-profit organizations, including institutions of higher education, cultural institutions, other educational organizations and collaborative partnerships. The chosen proposals were submitted by teams with a record of success in the development and implementation of curricular programs on Congress and civic participation, and the development and long-term maintenance of successful online interactives or mobile apps for classroom use.

The selected organizations were chosen by panels of individuals with content and technical expertise from government agencies, non-profit organizations, universities, and the Library of Congress.  The selectees will work with the Library’s Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program to develop the online interactives and mobile apps. They will use and incorporate not only the Library’s online primary sources, but also many other resources available from the Library.

The organizations selected for funding include:

  1. Muzzy Lane Software, of Newburyport, Massachusetts, whose “KidCitizen” project will deliver extensible cross-platform apps for iOS and Android devices and web browsers designed for children in grades K-5. Working in collaboration with professors at the University of South Florida, staff of the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) and others, the firm will develop apps to provide authentic, age-appropriate interaction with primary source materials, based on strong research and pedagogy, engaging children in exploring civics and government concepts through historical sources, and connecting what they find with their daily lives.
  2. Indiana University Center on Representative Government, in Bloomington, Indiana. The center’s “Engaging Congress” project will create a series of game-based learning activities for secondary-level students to explore the basic tenets of representative government and the challenges it faces in contemporary society. Working in collaboration with the Center for Civic Education and WisdomTools, the center will use primary sources and other items in the Library of Congress digital collection including text documents, photos, posters, political cartoons, audio and video to draw student attention to issues regarding the effective functioning of Congress and the identification of solutions to common problems currently facing Congress.
  3. Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media at George Mason University, in Fairfax, Virginia, whose “Eagle Eye Citizen” project will deliver an engaging, online and mobile-friendly interactive for K-12 students focused on Congress and civic participation. Working in collaboration with National History Day (NHD) and educational media designer Big YellowTaxi, the center will develop a project that will present students with thought-provoking questions to draw them into careful analysis of Library of Congress resources, while raising larger questions about Congress and civic participation.

All three organizations will also develop supporting professional development resources and opportunities for teachers and extensive outreach campaigns.

For more information about this grant opportunity, see the "Notice of Funds Availability" at loc.gov/teachers/newsevents/.

For nearly a decade, the Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) program has provided extensive professional development opportunities for educators and enabled the development and dissemination of teaching materials focused on using the Library’s digitized primary sources. In its fiscal 2015 appropriation, Congress allocated additional funds to the TPS program to increase competitive opportunities for developing online interactives and apps for classroom use on Congress and civic participation.

The Library of Congress, the nation’s first federal cultural institution, is the world’s preeminent reservoir of knowledge, providing unparalleled integrated resources to Congress and the American people. Many of the Library’s resources and treasures may also be accessed through the Library’s website at loc.gov and its specialized educational resource site at loc.gov/teachers/.

Featured

  • New Jersey Day School Opens New Science & Entrepreneurship Building

    Saddle River Day School (SRDS) in Saddle River, N.J., recently celebrated the grand opening of the new Dr. Kristen Walsh Hall of Science & Entrepreneurship, according to a news release. The school partnered with DIG Architecture on the 32,000 square foot facility, completed on a 17-month construction timeline in time for the beginning of the new school year.

  • Minnesota District Completes Renovations to 3 Schools

    South Washington County Schools in Woodbury, Minn., recently completed major renovation projects to three of its schools, according to a news release. The district partnered with Kraus-Anderson for construction services, and the upgrades were part of a larger referendum that voters approved in fall 2024.

  • Amazon Expands Lockers to More Than 500 College, University Campuses

    Amazon recently announced that its Locker Network now totals more than 750 locations at more than 500 college and university campuses around the United States, according to a company news release.

  • Q&A: How to Prevent Kitchen Grease Fires in Commercial Kitchens

    School cafeterias and university dining halls serve thousands of meals daily, relying on high-heat equipment like fryers, grills, and ovens. While these operations keep students fed, they also generate significant grease-laden vapors. Without proper controls, this grease becomes a silent fire threat. As a certified exhaust cleaning specialist and business coach who has helped hundreds of institutional facilities achieve NFPA 96 compliance, I emphasize that proactive grease management isn’t optional; it’s a core fire/life safety practice.