20 U.S.C. § 386b — State application

(a) Purpose of grants

Funds appropriated pursuant to section 386g of this title shall be available for grants to States for the purpose of supporting not more than 1 library literacy center in each State to coordinate the statewide distribution of library literacy materials and equipment on a loan basis to local public libraries within the State.

(b) Submission by State library administrative agencies; requisite assurances

Any State wishing to receive a grant shall, through its State library administrative agency, in conjunction with the advisory committee established under section 386e of this title, submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such form, and containing such information and assurances as the Secretary may reasonably require. No application may be approved by the Secretary unless it contains assurances that the State will—

(1) designate the State library administrative agency, or select a local public library through a competitive process, to serve as a library literacy center in accordance with the provisions of this part;

(2) provide assurances that the library literacy center will—

(A) select local public libraries to participate in a literacy materials and equipment loan program;

(B) select at least 25 percent of the local libraries that participate in the literacy materials and equipment loan program from rural areas;

(C) give priority in the selection of local public libraries to participate in the literacy materials and equipment loan program to public libraries within the State which serve those in greatest need;

(D) coordinate the distribution of equipment and materials;1

(E) provide training to local public library personnel;

(3) describe how the results of the grant program will be evaluated and disseminated;

(4) set forth the potential of the grant program for achieving replicability and for serving as a model program; and

(5) distribute 100 percent of the amounts received pursuant to this part to the library literacy center as designated or selected under section 386f of this title.

The Secretary shall give priority to applicants whose applications comply with the provisions of this part and describe programs and services to be delivered in States which have—

(1) the highest concentrations of adults who do not have a secondary education or its equivalent,

(2)(A) few community or financial resources to establish the program described under this part without Federal assistance, or

(B) low per capita income, or high concentrations of unemployment or underemployment.