RALEIGH – Department of Cultural Resources Secretary Linda A. Carlisle announced today that the State Library Division of the Department of Cultural Resources is awarding $4.7 million in federally funded grants for 185 local and statewide library projects for community outreach, library book collections, technology improvements and digitization of materials.
“As North Carolinians turn to their libraries for help doing job searches and for summertime reading, this federal investment will help libraries maintain their collections and provide the service and technology so important today,” said Carlisle.
The grant funding is made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a federal grant making agency.
“Federal grants awarded by the State Library to public, academic, school and community college libraries are critical during this time when libraries across the state are pinched for dollars, facing shrinking budgets but increased demand,” said State Librarian Mary Boone.
The LSTA grants are awarded in response to specific needs of public, academic, school and community college libraries.
The Greensboro Public Library received $50,000 for a Teen Leadership project that will engage 300 teens from low-resource neighborhoods in a variety of leadership experiences, skill building projects, job exploration sessions and creative expression opportunities.
The James Addison Jones Library at Greensboro College received $20,000 to purchase books for a new Ethics in Capitalism Initiative and will enhance resources available to students and faculty in the areas of economics, business, finance, and ethics.
The Mauney Memorial Library in Kings Mountain will direct their grant award of $17,552 to revitalize its well worn children’s picture book, juvenile and young adult fiction collections to meet the increased demands of homeschoolers, new residents and school age children.
School libraries from 44 school systems received funding to enhance their collection to provide a current, accurate, and attractive collection of books that support student achievement and the importance of reading.
The grant awards also address technology needs of libraries across the state. Johnston Community College Library was awarded a grant of $9,345 to purchase new computers and software that will meet the needs of their growing student population. Buncombe County Public Libraries was awarded $25,000 to purchase additional computers to assist the increased numbers of job seekers using their libraries.
The complete list of awards can be found online at http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/AwardsList09-10.htm.
Administered by the State Library, the Library Services and Technology Act state-based grant program funds projects across the state that enrich the lives of North Carolinians through enhanced and targeted programs and services in libraries, information for lifelong learning, and improving equal access to 21st century library service. LSTA is managed by IMLS which is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage, culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
For more information about the State Library of North Carolina’s LSTA program contact Penny Hornsby at penny.hornsby@ncdcr.gov, or (919) 807-7420. The State Library’s LSTA web site is at statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/lsta/lsta.htm.
The State Library of North Carolina is an agency of the Department of Cultural Resources, the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina’s arts, history, and culture. For more information, go to www.ncculture.com.