The Carnegie Library has been awarded two different grants that will enable us to deliver in-person programs in the library garden this summer. The Carroll County Community Foundation Youth Advisory Council awarded the Carnegie Library with funds that will help them to bring educators from the Scott Family Amazeum to provide hands-on STEM programs this summer and the resources to rent and install a large all-weather tent for the duration of its weekly program series in June and July.
Additionally, the American Library Association (ALA) has announced the recipients of the association’s Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries initiative grants. The funding will enable the Carnegie Library to host a discussion series intended to safely bring community members together to talk about various topics in order to listen, understand and find common ground with their neighbors.
“Through community engagement, libraries are continuing their important work on literacy and access, while also working to fill gaps in other areas that may not have fallen to libraries in the past,” said ALA President Julius C. Jefferson. “We are excited to provide the resources for hundreds of libraries to take on new challenges in their communities and look forward to seeing the great things they accomplish.”
The 317 funded proposals by ALA — public, academic, school/K-12, special and tribal libraries — represent 45 U.S. states. Eligibility was limited to communities with populations less than 25,000 in accordance with Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) definitions.
Each library will receive online staff training in how to lead conversations, a skills vital to 21st-century librarianship, and $3,000 to support their proposed community engagement work. Community engagement is the process of working collaboratively with community members — library users, residents, faculty, students or partner organizations — to address issues for the betterment of the community.