[lstac] Exemplary projects

Tue Jan 27 08:59:12 PST 2026

In my time in Massachusetts, we've done anywhere from 0-4 exemplary projects. I have 2 projects this year out of 18 but last year none of the 20 were marked exemplary. We don't have a specific limit in terms of how many. It really is just how we're feeling about them that year. There are two other consultants here who deal with subgrants so I will always ask them if they think they had any exemplary projects.

Typically, with exemplary subgrants, they tend to be projects where I think they should present on this at a conference or they're the 'gold standard' of how to do this type of work and are who I use as a model or refer other libraries to. For example, one project from this year focused on ESOL and in addition to making huge strides in addressing the demand for services, what also stood out was having ongoing training, support and resources for the volunteer tutors, which is great for sustainability and something I think other ESOL project don't think about.

Exemplary internal projects usually become something we piloted that becomes part of the regular agency work going forward in some form.

We got 20-27 inches of snow in Massachusetts. I'm at 24.1. It'll be around for a while since there's no above freezing temperatures on the horizon (and also some pretty cold days coming up shortly. Only 51 days until spring!

Lyndsay Forbes

Project Manager and Grants Specialist

Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners

Office: 617-725-1860 ext. 252

Mobile: 857-488-6616

________________________________
From: lstac <lstac-bounces at omls.oregon.gov> on behalf of JRegensburger--- via lstac <lstac at omls.oregon.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 11:27 AM
To: Mary Rayme -MSLA- <maryp.rayme1 at maryland.gov>
Cc: lstac at omls.oregon.gov <lstac at omls.oregon.gov>
Subject: Re: [lstac] Exemplary projects

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Interesting!

I expect a lot of my exemplary designations are informed by the years I spent as a supervisor prior to taking on LSTA grant work. In that role I became quite an evangelist for positive feedback and reinforcement.

I haven’t kept up on all of Ohio, but I think it’s safe to say that most of our state is covered in anywhere from 8 -14 inches of snow. It’s bitterly cold too.

Jeff

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Jeff Regensburger (he/him/his)

Library Consultant/LSTA Coordinator, Library Programs & Development

State Library of Ohio

274 E. 1st Avenue

Columbus, OH 43201

T: 614.644.6863

jregensburger at library.ohio.gov<mailto:jregensburger at library.ohio.gov>

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From: Mary Rayme -MSLA- <maryp.rayme1 at maryland.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 11:13 AM
To: Regensburger, Jeffrey <JRegensburger at library.ohio.gov>
Cc: lstac at omls.oregon.gov
Subject: Re: [lstac] Exemplary projects

Hi Jeff--

Compared to you, I am Scrooge in giving out Exemplary!

I think I labelled one project as Exemplary a couple of years back. It was our Early Literacy Family Engagement Calendar. We used templates from a similar project in South Carolina (also funded by LSTA) and made it our own with illustrations provided by a local artist. I considered it Exemplary because it was shared between states and it was one LSTA-funded project building on another. Since this project, we continue to re-print and have also produced a Spanish-Language version.

In the previous fiscal year, I made a project Exemplary because the rural library system partnered with the local detention center to revitalize the library collection AND provide programming. This was the first grant application we had for partnering with the local lock-up so we were pretty stoked about that. The grantees went on to assess the program and give presentations about it at the annual library association conference and nationally at PLA.

We have well over a foot of ice and snow in Maryland, it's 19 degrees, and I am dreaming of...Fort Lauderdale in April!

Cheers and warm wishes,

Mary

On Tue, Jan 27, 2026 at 11:01 AM JRegensburger--- via lstac <lstac at omls.oregon.gov<mailto:lstac at omls.oregon.gov>> wrote:

Hey Pals,

We’re starting to look at how we recognize Exemplary projects among our subawardees and projects and I was hoping to get maybe a sense of how many projects you all designate as exemplary.

I’ll go first. I usually have about 35-40 projects in my SPR each year, and I give out exemplary designations to anywhere between 5-8.

I’m also very much aware that a lot of that designation comes from how well someone can execute a project AND craft a report. Put another way, I know there are a lot of libraries doing exemplary projects, but they aren’t turning in enough detail or documentation to really show the impact.

Thanks, and stay warm if you’re anywhere inside this cold snap!

Jeff

[A picture containing text    Description automatically generated]

Jeff Regensburger (he/him/his)

Library Consultant/LSTA Coordinator, Library Programs & Development

State Library of Ohio

274 E. 1st Avenue

Columbus, OH 43201

T: 614.644.6863

jregensburger at library.ohio.gov<mailto:jregensburger at library.ohio.gov>

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Grants Coordinator
Maryland State Library Agency
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