SMITHTON PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT FOR SMALL AND RURAL LIBRARIES

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Cinda Leech, Project Director

Smithton Public Library District

618-233-8057

cleech@smithtonpl.org

SMITHTON PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT FOR SMALL AND RURAL LIBRARIES
$3,000 Grant Will Help the Library Work with Residents on Increasing Accessibility.

Smithton, IL – The Smithton Public Library District has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that helps library workers better serve their small and rural communities. The competitive award comes with a $3,000 grant that will help the library investigate and develop new ways to assist with patron access issues or examine a delivery system that could include local drop-off points.

“We are so proud to be chosen for this amazing opportunity,” said Library Director Jenna Dauer. “This grant will allow our library to get to know our residents better and help us build a happier and healthier community for our families.”

As part of the grant, Smithton Public Library District staff member Cinda Leech will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will then host a conversation with residents about increasing accessibility and use the grant funds to enact a delivery system to support safe and healthy contact between library and patron.

“The Covid-19 experience has taught us many lessons, not the least of which is how to minimize our contact with patrons for their safety and ours. We’d love to extend this consideration through prescheduled home-bound delivery,” explained project director Cinda Leech. “We feel the Smithton Public Library District will better serve our community through this endeavor.”

If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Cinda Leech at 618-233-8057 or cleech@smithtonpl.org, or visit https://www.smithtonpl.org/ for more information.

Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.

“Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).”

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