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project leader
Veronica M
location
Penn Avenue
(East Liberty )
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Message from the Libraries, Archives, and Museums Mutual Aid Fund

the project

These difficult and uncertain times have greatly affected library, archive, and museum workers who have experienced layoffs, furloughs, reduction in hours, and resignations due to unhealthy work environments. The crew behind the Radical Libraries, Archives, and Museums Network Gathering at the Allied Media Conference have started this campaign to raise funds to support those information, memory, and culture workers who need assistance due to the COVID-19 public health pandemic.

This is a mutual aid fund for library, archive, museum workers, storytellers, oral historians, and folks in the overall literacy community. We will be prioritizing funds for QTBIPOC, disabled and chronically ill folks, and folks with urgent needs.

Due to a wonderful opportunity from Ioby, all donations up to $5,000 will be matched! In an effort to support local library, archive, and museum workers -- it is our goal to provide individuals living and working in the city of Pittsburgh and Greater Pittsburgh region who apply with the matched funds. Application is open to all workers and we welcome all applicants but we will have this special focus on Pittsburgh applicants as well.

No donation is too small and if you are unable to donate but have found joy or inspiration in libraries, archives, or museums please feel free to share this fundraiser to help support the individuals who bring those institutions to life.

For folks wishing to apply, please complete the following application form: FORM NOW CLOSED

(Please note that due to the nature of the fundraising platform, funds will not be distributed until after the deadline) If you have any questions please contact us at radicallams [at] gmail.com

 

the steps

We are calling on our national networks to support the work of literacy and cultural workers around the country.

We have a relief fund application form for all those who wish to apply for support.

We will track all aid requests and distribute resources via electronic payment platforms or mail a physical check if necessary.

We will be accountable for all monies raised and transparent about our disbursement process.

We want to support all those impacted by COVID-19 and build a relief structure to support folks in the future!

Our timeline:

  • Perform outreach and raise funds (now to November 30th)
  • Perform outreach and receive application from folks needed financial assistance (now to November 30th)
  • Distribute funds to applicants after the deadline (December 2020 to January 2021)

why we're doing it

We believe in the work of librarians, museums workers, and archivists! We believe in the work of storytellers, writers, and poets! We believe that their work is valuable and essential to communities. We know that this crisis has had severe economic impact on the people who make these places possible and we want to provide support to them as we move through this challenging time. We want to make sure that we can move into a new time of health in our communities while we navigate this period of uncertainty and we want to come out stronger, more connected and with new tools to support each other.

budget

Disbursed:

We received 17 applications from library, museum, and archives workers looking for mutual aid funds to support them during the pandemic. We will distribute $1870.75 to these individuals. We have reserved $50 to help cover additional fees of banking fees, bank account minimums, and in anticipation of any fees that may be associated with distributing funds to these individuals. 

Mutual aid disbursement to individuals seeking aid $1870.75
Associated fees for disbursement (bank fees, stamps, etc) $50
TOTAL TO DISBURSE= $1,920.75




TOTAL RAISED = $1,950.00 $1,950.00
ioby Platform Fee waived $35.00
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) waived $95.75
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $29.25 $28.20
TOTAL TO DISBURSE= $1,920.75 $1,791.05

Original:

All donations will be used to provide direct financial aid to Pittsburgh city RadLAM applicants impacted by COVID19 to assist with immediate needs such as food, rent, utilities, healthcare, childcare, and other emergency necessities. 



PROJECT FUNDING NEEDED = $10,000
ioby Platform Fee waived
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) waived
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%)
(Donation processing fee does not apply to match funding.)		 $158
TOTAL TO RAISE = $10,158
Please note: ioby fees are estimated and will be calculated based on totals at the end of the campaign.  

 

updates

Message from the Libraries, Archives, and Museums Mutual Aid Fund

Posted 03/13/2021 - 4:28pm

Thank you for applying to the Radical Libraries, Archives, and Museums Ioby mutual aid fund. We were overwhelmed with the responses we received and have distributed our first round of funds. We plan to do additional fundraising throughout the year to continue to provide funds and support to library, archives, and museums workers. 

We are dedicated to continuing to support our community of knowledge keepers, storytellers, and community educators during this time and to re-imagine our work as information professionals. A report regarding our fund distribution will be submitted to Ioby in the near future as well, for full transparency of how funds were distributed. Thank you and please feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

Thank you!

Posted 01/20/2021 - 12:50pm

Thank you all for supporting our fund. We are waiting to transfer what we have raised and will begin to distribute shortly.

 

We also wanted to bring attention to some other aid networks for LAM workers that may be of interest to you as well and for those seeking support. Here are some others:

Archival Workers Emergency Fund (AWE Fund)

Help a Library Worker Out Fund (HALO Fund)

Library Association of the City University of New York Mutual Aid Network (LACUNY Aid Network)

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Jessica Schomberg
  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous
  • Raquel D.
  • #LibRev
  • Robin Ewing
  • Dave Roche
  • Michael B.
  • Kate F.
  • bennett s.
  • Anonymous
  • Jeffrey
  • Kristin Fowler
  • Violet Fox
  • Rachel W.
  • Dan
  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous
  • Arya H.
  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous
  • Sunny K.
  • Stephanie B.
  • Anonymous
  • Sine H.
  • Anonymous