Rowan Public Library
Thanks to a $17,030 grant, Rowan Public Library has significantly expanded computer access at its East Branch Library in Rockwell.
After recent renovations creating a new children’s library in the first floor of the library, this grant project allowed the installation of six computers and workstation furniture for the children’s library, creating a safe, educational computing environment especially for children and families.
The project also provided new workstation furniture as well as two additional computers in the busy adult computer area.
The federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) were awarded by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources. These federal funds are investments of dollars to help libraries deliver relevant and up-to-date services for their communities.
Over the past few years, library use has continued to climb systemwide, and waiting times for computer access could get lengthy. This was particularly true at the East Branch Library, which had the fewest computers available to the public.
The LSTA grant allowed Rowan Public Library to effectively double access to technology and Internet resources at the East Branch. This has significantly decreased the average waiting time for a computer session.
Rowan Public Library received one of the 160 LSTA grants totaling $4,243,389 awarded to North Carolina libraries for 2008-2009. The LSTA grant program administered by the State Library of North Carolina funds projects across the state that help libraries deliver learning opportunities for a lifetime, support libraries in their mission to provide cost-effective access to the Internet and to information expertise, and make library resources more accessible to all users.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services 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.
Through the LSTA Grants to States program, IMLS provides funds to State Libraries using a population-based formula. State libraries may use the appropriation to support statewide initiatives and services; they may also distribute the funds through subgrants or cooperative agreements to public, academic, school, special, and research libraries.