Lyrasis, a non-profit member organization serving the global landscape of academic and public libraries, scholarly research, archives, museums and galleries, is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients of the Lyrasis Catalyst Fund. The Catalyst Fund is an award program that provides support for new ideas and innovative projects from the Lyrasis membership.

This year, we reviewed projects under two themes — a traditional innovation theme and a public library theme.

The Lyrasis Membership selected four projects to be funded for the benefit of the community at large.

Capital for the Catalyst Fund comes from the $1.2 million research, development and innovation budget approved by the Lyrasis Board of Trustees. The program is managed within the Lyrasis Research and Innovation division led by Leigh Grinstead. Through the Catalyst Fund, now in its eighth year, Lyrasis has directly invested more than $1,000,000 in its members to support and promote scalable innovation.

The four projects awarded in the 2024 Catalyst Fund are:

  • Building STUDY: An Open Solution for the Use and Adoption of University Textbooks, Towson University. As a university serving our underrepresented communities, many of which are socio-economically challenged, we hope to create a proof-of-concept for an open-source unified platform that will allow all of our parties (the bookstore, FACET and the library) to load in adopted course materials. The platform will also include a public interface which will allow students to easily browse for the textbooks they will need for their courses, compare the various options for obtaining them and then determine their total cost. Award: $25,000.
  • LibrarEaze: Empowering Library Users with Reading Disabilities, Benicia Public Library. Using visual storytelling, narration, visual cues and symbols, we will create a collection of short videos designed to support self-directed use of library resources. We will integrate interactive elements into the videos, such as clickable buttons or pop-up text boxes, that provide additional context or explanations to allow nonreaders to engage with the content at their own pace. By making the videos easily accessible and easy to understand, we will promote independent discovery of resources among nonreaders, diminishing the stigma that often accompanies the inability to read. Award: $24,850.
  • Contextualizing the Catalog: Increasing Access to Native Collections at the Boston Athenaeum, The Boston Athenaeum. The Boston Athenaeum seeks funding for a project to enhance the stewardship and accessibility of Native collections. This entails a comprehensive survey and the creation of a digital guide to contextualize and make these collections more accessible, addressing historical oversight and promoting a respectful representation of Indigenous knowledge. The project will develop collection descriptions and education approaches that accurately and respectfully represent tribal histories and knowledge. Award: $21,500.
  • If You Seed It, They Will Read It: Growing a Community of Readers in Juvenile Corrections through Access to Books, Audiobooks and Educational Devices, Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. This project would provide our local juvenile detention center with new materials appropriate for the reading level and interests of incarcerated children. The current library within the center consists of donated used adult books. Through our project, we will support this hidden community of young readers with access to juvenile and YA books. This project is a first step in building connections to incarcerated youth who need and deserve access to high-quality library services and collections. Award: $20,130.

This year the Sandy Nyberg Award, named for Sandy Nyberg's pivotal role in the Catalyst Fund and her dedication to grants throughout her career, is awarded to the Boston Athenaeum and the project, Contextualizing the Catalog: Increasing Access to Native Collections at the Boston Athenaeum, with an award of $21,500.

The Catalyst Fund application cycle opens every January. Lyrasis welcomes inquiries about the process year round. If interested, please reach out to catalystfund@lyrasis.org.

About Lyrasis

Lyrasis is a community-supported non-profit whose mission is to support enduring access to our shared academic, scientific and cultural heritage for archives, libraries, museums and research communities. With more than 80 years of experience, Lyrasis offers technologies, services and special programs designed by and for knowledge professionals and brings together more than 2000 collections-holding organizations worldwide for collaboration, innovation and scale.