LSTA Grant Information
2024-2025 LSTA Grant Awardees Announced
The Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants include 41 awards for local library projects.
See the list of awardees
About LSTA Grants
Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grants are federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services that are awarded by the State Library to eligible North Carolina libraries.
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Continuing Education Scholarships
The State Library of North Carolina is offering Continuing Education Scholarship opportunities year round!
Apply Now!2024-2025 Awards
The 2024-2025 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants include 41 awards for local library projects that advance excellence and promote equity through community engagement, equitable access, and responsive organizations in North Carolina's libraries.
Tab/Accordion Items
| Library Name | Project Name | Amount Awarded | Project Abstract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alamance County Public Libraries | Strategic Plan Refresh | $27,200.00 | Through the use of an outside consultant, Alamance County Public Libraries will engage in numerous interviews, surveys, focus groups, community conversations, etc. to conduct an in depth assessment of Alamance County and analyze the input to develop strategic areas of focus, goals, and activities for the five-year Library Strategic Plan. This will ensure that Alamance County Public Libraries is prepared to better respond to community needs through programs, projects, initiatives, and community collaborations. |
| Appalachian Regional Library | Adult Literacy Services @ Your Library | $79,226.00 | This project is designed to benefit adults predominantly in Watauga County and subsequently, the broader region of Ashe and Wilkes counties, who need help acquiring basic literacy skills and English as a Second Language. Appalachian Regional Library will focus on reading literacy but will include other types of practical literacy such as digital, informational, health and financial. Services provided will depend on the immediate goals of the patron, including, but not limited to, obtaining a GED, obtaining citizenship, learning English as a Second Language for work, etc. One-on-one tutoring will be a large part of the program of service. |
| Brunswick County Library | Brunswick County Library Migration | $10,000.00 | NC Cardinal is a growing consortium of North Carolina public libraries with the goal of sharing resources and expanding opportunities through using a single online catalog. The State Library provides initial startup/migration funding for participating libraries to join the consortium. Hardware, software support, and training contracts are funded by the LSTA Grant |
| Carteret Community College | Evergreen Migration for CC Libraries! Phase II | $106,865.00 | The newly created North Carolina Community College Evergreen Shared ILS Group, or NCCCE, provides a technologically advanced ILS for its partner libraries to use. During Phase II, Carteret Community College will lead twenty-five additional community college libraries into the shared ILS group, bringing the total number of partner libraries using Evergreen to fifty. Phase II will be the final year of the project. |
| Catawba County Library | SensoryScape: Inclusive Play Space | $38,903.00 | The Catawba County Library will enhance the inclusivity of library services for neurodivergent individuals and their families by creating an inclusive barrier-free library experience designed to cater to a diverse range of participants. The Main Library will add a sensory-friendly story time and an inclusive play space equipped with sensory toys, furnishings, and interactive components. Each library will have sensory kits for families and all staff will participate in customer service training to deliver inclusive and supportive experiences for neurodivergent individuals. Collaborating with the Early Childhood Support Team, the library will host information sessions, expanding access to accurate information and resources related to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). |
| Catawba County Library | Meeting the Moment: Equitable Connections | $17,037.00 | COVID-19 reshaped how we interact, prompting an unprecedented demand for digital connectivity. In response, Catawba County Library will revamp meeting rooms into secure video-conferencing hubs, bridging the digital gap. For students, these spaces can be used for study, tutoring, collaboration and online classes. These meeting rooms will become secure havens for telehealth sessions and legal proceedings. We will support career development by providing cutting-edge conferencing tech for interviews and meetings. By offering hybrid programming, we ensure inclusivity in our community. Library staff will support patrons in navigating the technology required for virtual meetings. This project ensures equitable access to essential resources for education, health, employment and lifelong learning. |
| Chapel Hill Public Library | Chapel Hill Descendants Project | $45,000.00 | The Chapel Hill Descendants Project is an intergenerational community history project. The goal of the project is to collect family histories that document ancestral connections to enslavement in Chapel Hill. Project historians will be local youth, trained in community history methods, and supervised by project staff. Project narrators will be local community elders who will work with project historians to develop family histories using a restorative genealogy framework. This project will result in a digital and print community archive. |
| Chatham County Public Library | Chatham County Public Libraries' StoryWalk® | $36,228.00 | Chatham County Public Libraries' (CCPL) StoryWalk® project will provide access to literacy opportunities in Chatham County. This project will create outside learning spaces for families to participate in sensory and outdoor exploration, exercise, and foster a love of reading. This project aims to create intergenerational activities while encouraging enriched cognitive experiences, and social and emotional development. Stories will be selected that spark imagination, build vocabulary, build character, and involve physical movement. At the end of the StoryWalk®, participants will find additional resources to further their experiences; encourage them to visit and use the library, get a library card, attend library programs, all while using Chatham County Parks & Recreation facilities. |
| Cumberland County Public Library | Culinary Literacy and Wellness at the Library | $40,500.00 | Cumberland County Public Library will utilize the Charlie Cart mobile kitchens to provide free culinary literacy and wellness programs to all ages. All ages can learn healthy food preparation and skill building, food hygiene and safety, cooking on a budget, developing meals for dietary restrictions, learning diverse/ethnic cuisine and more. In addition to programs for adults and teens, the library will present hands-on culinary literacy and wellness programs to students for supplemental learning. Staff will partner with other departments, such as Public Health and Cooperative Extension, to expand program outreach to have the most impact, including targeting underserved groups. |
| Davidson County Public Library | StoryWalk® at Yadkin River Park | $6,992.00 | The Davidson County Public Library, in partnership with Davidson County Parks and Recreation, will add a StoryWalk® at Davidson County's newest park, Yadkin River Park. The StoryWalk® will achieve multiple objectives: increase literacy for juvenile visitors, provide a fun way for families to experience outdoors, and encourage movement as participants advance along the StoryWalk® trail. |
| Duplin County Library | Story Walk around the county with Me! | $19,402.00 | Duplin County Library in partnership with Duplin County Partnership for Children will add interactive Story Walks® in local parks and recreational spaces of 5 communities. These Story Walks® will encourage family engagement in literacy with an element of physical exercise included in the process. Each location will have 12-15 stations spaced out around the perimeter of the designated property. A variety of selections will be included in the Story Walk®s to meet a broad range of interests including frequent selections focused on increasing health and wellness in families. |
| Durham County Library | Meeting the Makers Where They Are | $40,300.00 | Durham County Library’s Maker + STEAM Unit offers the community access to revolutionary technologies like 3D printing, laser cutting, and robotics both inside and outside the library. Funds from this grant will support an expansion of Maker + STEAM’s outreach capacity while simultaneously broadening the kinds of devices and services on offer in both mobile and location-fixed forms. A 3D scanner, laser cutter, mobile battery packs, and other supporting equipment will enmesh within an existing array of technology, resources, and services, thereby empowering both staff and patrons to realize creative dreams, teach scientific and technological literacy, and facilitate lifelong learning. |
| East Carolina University | City of Greenville StoryWalks® | $50,000.00 | Joyner Library at East Carolina University will foster community engagement by increasing community wellness and literacy in Greenville, NC through StoryWalks®. The project will further equitable access by including bilingual texts that will improve English literacy in Pitt County, promote cultural awareness, and increase the use of inclusive shared spaces in local rural or low socioeconomic areas. The StoryWalks® will promote physical activity and feature bilingual children’s stories related to inclusion, nature, relationships, and health. This project aligns with ECU’s motto Servire, “to serve,” and its 2023-2028 strategic plan which prioritizes public service and comprehensive well-being. |
| Fontana Regional Library | Kitchen Literacy Connection | $19,626.00 | Macon County Public Library presents The Kitchen Literacy Connection, a program series about food literacy. The goal is for people to better understand where their food comes from and what to do with it. Library staff will create new programs and enhance existing classes to share knowledge, skills, awareness, and enjoyment of cooking, budgeting, and nutritional topics for all ages. The centerpiece that makes these informative presentations possible is a new “Charlie Cart” portable kitchen workstation with teaching curriculum. The cart increases program options by adding a sink, oven, cook top, and all utensils for hands-on experiential classes. The project goal is to impact the health habits, confidence, and awareness of Macon County residents. |
| Forsyth Technical Community College | Forsyth Tech Makerspace | $37,500.00 | A makerspace in the library would promote and cultivate a collaborative and experiential learning environment at Forsyth Technical Community College. Students will be able to immerse themselves in the design of creative and innovative projects. The makerspace framework would consist of high and low-tech options that foster critical thinking, enhanced problem-solving, and futuristic planning skills. Through the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) into the library culture, Forsyth Technical Community College will be responding to the expressed, observed, and unspoken interest amongst students and library patrons. |
| Franklin County Library | Franklin County Library Strategic Plan | $26,475.00 | The Franklin County Library seeks a strategic planning grant to guide its development over the next decade in alignment with the county's growth. The Franklin County Library is made up of a main library, three branches, and a mobile library. Though the branches are in each municipality, there are large portions of the county that have limited access to materials and services that could be better served with the mobile library. A consultant will facilitate the process, examine demographics, engage stakeholders, and revise the mission and vision of the library. The consultant will deliver a comprehensive strategic plan inclusive of community profiles, organizational assessments, and actionable priorities, ensuring effective communication and ongoing evaluation. |
| Franklin County Library | STEAM Powered Learning | $32,136.00 | Steam Powered Learning is a project to increase opportunities for youth in Franklin County Library's community to encounter science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) concepts and materials through library programming. Franklin County Library will expand materials offered at Afterschool Adventures, a weekly school age program at all library locations, and by creating a new program, STEAM Free Play Saturdays. To ensure that these programs incorporate STEAM learning principles and expand opportunities for project-based learning in the community, Franklin County Library will not only acquire new materials, but also provide high quality STEAM training for library staff and the digital literacy coordinators at the elementary and middles schools of Franklin County. |
| Gardner-Webb University | Cleveland Co. Historic Documents Digitization | $42,000.00 | Gardner-Webb University will engage in a local digitization project of large format 19th century historical county and church records. Documents are held in the GWU Archives, Earl Scruggs Center Museum, and Broad River Genealogical Society and include records that are essential to the Sunset Cemetery Project to identify unmarked enslaved persons graves. This collaborative project with the shared goal of making primary resources available to the Cleveland County community and beyond. |
| Gaston College | Enhancing Library Accessibility and Support | $99,607.00 | Gaston College aims to transform the library into a haven of inclusivity. The library will have versatile sensory spaces that will accommodate and support our neurodiverse patrons, offer telehealth services, and provide testing accommodations for students. By fostering a safe and accessible learning environment, the library is addressing critical needs and promoting mental health and educational equity. |
| High Plains Indians Inc | Sappony Digital Preservation | $84,942.00 | The Sappony, a tribe of about 1000 members, settled in Person County, NC, and Halifax County, VA in the 1700s. Recognized by North Carolina legislation in 1911, much documentation exists about them. However, the tribe does not have a digital tribal archive of these documents to preserve their history and culture, and for tribal member access. Building on a collection of documents compiled for a research project, the project objective is to create a curated, maintained digital tribal archive. To achieve this, the tribe proposes to reformat files to archival standards on a dedicated system and create a digital archiving policy. Creation of this archive base will help assure tribal history and culture is preserved for current and future generations. |
| Iredell County Public Library | Meeting Space at Main | $27,450.00 | The Iredell County Public Library proposes to purchase two single and one double privacy booths for the main branch library. These privacy booths can be used for telehealth visits, job interviews, Zoom meetings, or two-person meetings such as appointments with lawyers or accountants. Patrons will have the option to borrow a device to use in the booth or to use their own. Both size booths will have an adjustable desktop, and are wheelchair accessible and sound-proof. The booths will be available to all patrons and can be reserved through staff at the Information Services desk. |
| Lincoln County Public Library | STEMobile | $100,000.00 | The purpose of the STEMobile project is to expand student and community access to STEM enrichment activities and the library’s digital resources. The Lincoln County Public Library will purchase a vehicle that would be dedicated to STEM outreach at schools and public events and is equipped to serve as a “pop up” STEM lab. All Lincoln County K through 12 students will benefit from the library’s enhanced ability to present hands-on STEM learning programs in the classroom and community. The expansion of public engagement through STEM activities at schools and public events will expand awareness of library services, resulting in the creation of new library accounts, increasing materials circulation, and program attendance. |
| Mars Hill University | MHU Library and Universal Design for Learning | $25,151.00 | The Library at Mars Hill University will house a new service to support the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) initiative to better serve a diverse student population with unique learning needs. A one-button studio will be incorporated in the library to provide multiple options for representation, engagement, and expression in teaching. By acquiring advanced audio-visual equipment and incorporating it into a training program, the university ensures a holistic approach that considers diverse learning preferences and needs. |
| Mooresville Public Library | Laptops for Coding | $42,641.00 | The Mooresville Public Library will use laptops and laptop carts to enhance existing coding clubs to children and teens. With a new second location, library staff intend to duplicate and expand coding opportunities to more youth in the library's service area. When not in use for STEM programming, the library aims to utilize the technology to supplement adult training opportunities. |
| Neuse Regional Library | Neuse Regional Libraries Cybersecurity Audit | $17,220.00 | Neuse Regional Libraries will hire MCNC Cybersecurity Advisory Consulting to conduct a thorough audit of the library's information security infrastructure, configuration, procedures, and current practices to identify potential vulnerabilities. This assessment will assist the library in preventing ransomware and other malicious cyberattacks, lead to the development of a Disaster Recovery Plan, and improve staff's ability to provide patrons with a safe and secure digital environment on the library's network. The library will also offer awareness training for patrons in the form of instructional classes on internet safety. These activities are aligned with objectives identified in Neuse Regional Library's 2023-2038 Strategic Plan. |
| Neuse Regional Library | Teen Leadership Internship Program | $30,267.00 | As part of the Neuse Regional Libraries’ strategic objective to provide paid learning opportunities with an emphasis on opening the door to positive learning experiences in the field of librarianship for diverse individuals, the library will offer a Teen Leadership Internship program that focuses on developing life skills and immersing teens in real-life work experiences through community volunteering initiatives. Participants will be required to complete a STEM-focused project that exemplifies the library and promotes literacy in the community. Each internship program will offer courses on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, work etiquette, and healthy lifestyle choices. |
| New Hanover County Public Library | Local History Archival Management Implementation | $39,082.00 | New Hanover County Public Library plans to implement preparing and moving archival holdings to a new facility. After forty years in its current home, the downtown branch of our library system will be relocated to a library-museum complex on the opposite side of the block from its current location. Plans and funding were approved for the move by the Local Government Commission in October 2023. The new facility is anticipated to be move-in ready in 2025. |
| North Carolina Library Association | NCLA Leadership Institute 2024 | $6,000.00 | The NCLA Leadership Institute is an intensive four-day residential event designed to cultivate and inspire North Carolina library leaders. In addition to the four-day event, participation in the Leadership Institute requires a one-year commitment to engage in a group mentor/mentee relationship, attendance at a one-day follow up session, and participation in the 2025 NCLA Biennial Conference. The mission of the Leadership Institute is to create opportunities for learning and skill building in leadership and mentoring. The Institute cultivates an understanding of self and others while inspiring participants to serve in leadership roles within the profession at local, state, and national levels. |
| North Carolina Public Library Directors Association | Professional Development Summits 2024-2025 | $13,000.00 | The North Carolina Public Library Director’s Association Professional Development Summits 2024 – 2025 will provide funding for professional development keynote speakers and experts to provide relevant and timely training and development opportunities for Library Directors and their designees across the state of North Carolina on topics germane to public libraries in the state. Funds from this project will allow for subject matter experts to provide best practices and other relevant information to support the growth and development of public libraries within North Carolina. |
| North Carolina State University on behalf of NCSU Libraries | Expanded Extending Cooperative Extension History | $149,999.00 | The NC State University Libraries and State Archives of North Carolina will conduct a two-year project titled “Expanded Extending Cooperative Extension History” to further digital discoverability of primary source materials on agricultural extension and its impact on the 20th century agricultural economy. High demand archival collections on the topics are currently available for research in both organizations. This project will scan, describe, and create a full text index of 36,000 digital objects (pages/items) from reports, pamphlets, publications, photographs, and other archival materials. The project will create a single online access point for library and archives users, North Carolinians, and researchers throughout the world to access these historical materials. |
| North Carolina State University on behalf of NCSU Libraries | Statewide E-Resources for Underserved Populations | $150,000.00 | NC LIVE, North Carolina’s statewide library consortium whose mission is to help its member libraries better support education, enhance economic development, and improve the quality of life of all North Carolinians, conducted an audit of its eBook and streaming video collections to determine how closely its collections mirror the population of NC. This audit revealed some significant gaps between the demographics of North Carolina and the makeup of these collections. This grant will enable NC LIVE to purchase perpetual-access content in subject areas that address populations which are currently underserved. |
| Pettigrew Regional Library | Digital Literacy for Preschoolers | $10,496.00 | Pettigrew Regional Library plans to integrate technology into preschool story times as well as hold STEM related programs for the Pre-K age group so that the children in the library's rural communities have the same advantages as many children in urban areas. By using Playaways, and STEM hands-on activities geared toward the preschool age group staff will help children with essential skills such as counting, reading and communicating which are essential for starting school. The library will partner with an educational playgroup, in conjunction with the Chowan County Schools, to provide programs that promote digital literacy. |
| Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield | STEAM Makerspace | $21,726.00 | The Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield seeks to establish a STEAM Makerspace focused on serving K-12 students in Johnston County and members of the community living below the poverty line. By repurposing an unused room, the library aims to provide hands-on programming, courses, and open access to STEAM tools. The project's objectives encompass academic improvement, economic empowerment, an inclusive learning environment, and community connection. The anticipated outcomes include improved academic performance, enhanced community engagement, and equitable access to resources for all patrons. |
| Robeson County Public Library | Robeson County Public Library Migration | $10,000.00 | NC Cardinal is a growing consortium of North Carolina public libraries with the goal of sharing resources and expanding opportunities through using a single online catalog. The State Library provides initial startup/migration funding for participating libraries to join the consortium. Hardware, software support, and training contracts are funded by the LSTA Grant |
| Southern Pines Public Library | Dementia/Memory Care Kit Collection | $5,000.00 | To cater to an aging population, particularly those with special medical needs, Southern Pines Public Library plans to introduce activity kits, games, dolls, music boxes, and other interactive tools suitable for individuals diagnosed with dementia/Alzheimer's. These kits are intended for borrowing by family members and caregivers to facilitate engaging interactions with dementia patients. Research indicates that incorporating photographs, music, memorabilia, and relaxation aids can enhance communication between dementia patients and their loved ones or caregivers. |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | North Carolina Digital Heritage Center | $814,264.00 | The North Carolina Digital Heritage Center supports community engagement and lifelong learning by promoting and increasing access to North Carolina's cultural heritage. The Center does this by digitizing materials from the collections of cultural heritage institutions throughout the state and making them freely accessible online both on DigitalNC and through the Digital Public Library of America. Center staff use their extensive network to connect communities, practitioners, and local history enthusiasts and researchers. The Center is committed to providing low-barrier, flexible, and relevant services that meet the changing needs of North Carolina's cultural heritage institutions. |
| University of North Carolina at Greensboro | People Not Property - Slave Deeds Expansion | $103,083.00 | People Not Property - Slave Deeds is a collaborative endeavor led by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro University Libraries in partnership with the North Carolina Division of Archives and Records, registers of deeds across North Carolina, the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society, and other cultural heritage organizations. An expansion of the existing Digital Library on American Slavery, the project builds a unique centralized database of bills of sales that indexes the names of enslaved people from across North Carolina and beyond. The database is freely available via the Internet. People Not Property currently houses material and data from 23 North Carolina counties, and includes over 18,000 documents referencing over 90,000 people. |
| University of North Carolina School of the Arts | Collaboration, Creativity, Flexibility at School of the Arts | $34,125.00 | The campus libraryat the NC School of the Arts operates as a community center in many ways, and is a place for teaching, learning, collaboration and innovation. To continue on this path, the library will implement "Vibe Boards" which are all-in-one rolling carts for each floor. These are smart boards with cameras, touch screen, with an array of features to help groups come together, create, imagine, discuss and learn. This supports the institutional strategic plan that positions the library as an Interdisciplinary space. To further support needs, laptops will also be provided to use with the boards and beyond. |
| Western Carolina University, Hunter Library | Hunter Library Touchscreen Kiosk Project | $15,971.00 | Western Carolina University's Hunter Library will implement an interactive touchscreen kiosk. This addresses challenges identified in a recent study. The user-friendly mapping software in the kiosk will enhance navigation and provide on-demand information retrieval. The kiosk will integrate with the library's room reservation system, streamlining room bookings in response to student requests. This grant will make the library more accessible, empowering patrons to navigate and use services seamlessly while improving their overall experience. |
| Wilkes Community College | A Library for All Learners | $44,397.00 | Pardue Library seeks funds to make the library more accessible and welcoming to all students. This project will reduce barriers to success that many neurodivergent students face. Our goals are to provide students with low-distraction study spaces and tools to address sensory processing disorders, to create wayfinding guides to improve navigation in the library, to provide resources to strengthen executive function skills, and to provide professional development in neurodiversity to college employees. The library is partnering with the Office of Disability, Inclusion, and Diversity. This office will provide training for employees, events for students that promote neurodiversity awareness, and programming to encourage academic and social growth among neurodiverse students. |
| Wilson Community College | Transforming Library Services | $7,830.00 | Wilson Community College seeks to integrate interactive technology into the library, enhancing its capabilities to provide library instruction. The initiative expands the library's impact by actively engaging students and faculty in the learning process through technology. It ensures accessibility and flexibility, fosters a collaborative environment, and improves existing library services for students, faculty, and staff. |
Statewide Programs
Statewide Programs are those with broad, statewide impact and are developed by the State Library in response to emerging or broad-based needs that are consistent with the LSTA plan and priorities.
21st Century Libraries will provide access to the LibGuides platform for the State Library of North Carolina, 58 community college libraries, and 84 public library systems across the state. This platform allows library staff to easily create online content for users in a hosted environment. Additionally 84 public library systems across the state have access to the Northstar Digital Literacy training.
#EverythingNC project will increase the resources available via the Government & Heritage Library (GHL), grow public and state employee awareness of GHL resources, improve access to GHL’s online resources, facilitate K-12 primary source/historical resource use, and ensure preservation of digital materials. New items will be digitized for the NC Digital Collections; articles will be created and improved in both English and Spanish for NCpedia and ANCHOR (A NC History Online Resource). Translation of popular NCpedia collections into Spanish will support Spanish-speaking North Carolinians. New NCpedia resources for students and educators will be developed to support DNCR's Learning Happens Here initiative. Continued use of LibSafe will preserve government publications for the future.
Continuing Education will support and provide professional development opportunities for library staff in order to improve services and access to resources in libraries throughout North Carolina. The Continuing Education program provides access to in-person and virtual learning opportunities and online resources that enhance library services and promote excellence and innovation.
Data and Evaluation Support Libraries will receive access to training and tools that support data-driven decision making for all aspects of library services. Continued access to LibPAS supports the collection, analysis and usage of annual report and Public Libraries Survey (PLS) data. The input and output data collected through the annual report will be enhanced by access to the Public Library Association's Benchmark tool for up to 24 libraries which includes topical survey data that is more qualitative in nature relating to services, technology, staff and facilities.
Expanding Capabilities provides continuing education and professional development/training for SLNC staff. Professional development helps to strengthen the State Library of North Carolina’s capability to better serve and engage with libraries and the public across North Carolina. Staff at all levels need to grow their skills to ensure the State Library remains a central hub in enriching the lives of North Carolinians.
Inclusive Services ensure accessibility for State Library of NC programs and continuing education offerings by providing closed captions or sign language interpretation. These services enable individuals who have disabilities to access media content and promote equal participation for our audience.
NC Cardinal provides North Carolina residents with greater access to North Carolina resources by providing the tools, framework and expertise necessary to administer a common, online catalog, share catalog items among member libraries and expand opportunities for optimization of cost efficiencies and collaborative collection development. NC Cardinal seeks to improve resource sharing throughout the NC Cardinal consortium by conducting a consortium-wide assessment of resource sharing activities, focusing on the mechanisms and procedures used for resource sharing, analysis of the return on investment that a shared integrated library system and shared materials offer to Cardinal member libraries, and any possibilities for shared collection development.
New Director Orientation project will provide an orientation for North Carolina Public Library Directors who are new to their positions to share information on the services of the State Library, Library Development, Library for the Blind, Government Heritage Library, and other North Carolina partner agencies; and to provide opportunities of learning with other new directors.
Scholarships will fund the attendance of public, academic, community college, and special library staff to local, state, and national conferences of their choice as it relates to their positions within libraries. On a quarterly basis, State Library staff will review the applications submitted to ensure that applications illustrate the relevance of the conference and how attendance ties to the State Library’s LSTA Program 5-Year Plan priorities.
Youth Services project will provide professional development opportunities centered around services for youth and families which will result in improved programs and resources in North Carolina libraries. This year's opportunities will be for all youth age groups as well as provide for some opportunities to promote intergenerational programs.
LSTA Program Administration funds the majority of LSTA administrative costs incurred by the State Library.
LSTA mini-grant awards list below are made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-253645-OLS-23).
Community Partnerships for Literacy Mini-Grants
Community Partnerships for Literacy Mini-grants support the creation of literacy and learning centers in local community places. Libraries with community partners can establish an environment of familial and intergenerational learning in their communities. The State Library of North Carolina awarded eight projects, totaling $65,982.00.
| Library | Amount | Project Abstract |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachian Regional Library | $10,000.00 | In partnership with Ashe County Detention Center, Ashe County Public Library is working to update and improve a long-untended library collection, establish a system of organization for books and other materials, and respond to staff requests for program and reentry support for incarcerated men and women. During periods of incarceration ranging from six months to three years, these inmates deserve access to the same caliber collection as is available to the rest of our patrons and one that reflects their information needs and recreational reading preferences. Staff plan to install bookcases, select books and class sets for the collection, create and distribute a reentry resource guide, and work with staff to provide essential supplies such as reading glasses. |
| Beaufort County Community College | $6,650.00 | Beaufort County Community College plans to partner with Open Door Women's Shelter to facilitate the establishment of a Navigation Room within the shelter. Open Door Women's Shelter is an emergency shelter for women and children, expanding from 9 to 23 beds. The Navigation Room will be a 200 square foot room serving various purposes: providing a private meeting space to meet with social workers or case managers, a designated area for children to do homework, read, and play, furnished with fold-down desks for residents to work on resumes, job searches or connect with family, and a space to offer enrichment classes. This multipurpose space aims to address the limited privacy within the living facility and empower families and individuals to access resources and progress towards independence. |
| Catawba County Library | $9,877.00 | The Learning Lobbies project aims to create vibrant early learning spaces within Catawba County Social Services. These spaces, strategically located in three different lobby areas, will cater to families seeking assistance with daycare, food, and mental health services. With over 163,000 citizens, including a significant portion living in poverty, the Learning Lobbies offer a critical opportunity to engage children and families in enriching educational activities while awaiting services. Children can enjoy pretend play, explore STEAM interactives, and enjoy a selection of diverse book. Learning Lobbies offer a critical opportunity to engage children and families in enriching educational activities while awaiting services. |
| Chatham County Public Library | $4,000.00 | Chatham County Public Libraries will expand book access in Siler City through the creation of children’s reading areas within local businesses like hair salons, barber shops, laundromats, etc.. Furnishings will be purchased to create inviting spaces and provide support for the necessary book materials. Books for the collections will be acquired with a focus on promoting education, inclusion and diversity. Every reading area established will feature a comprehensive collection of books catering to all levels of youth reading, including bilingual stories and stories exclusively in Spanish. The creation of these reading areas will narrow the divide by ensuring that free reading materials can be conveniently accessed without a library card, extending beyond the physical boundaries of a library. |
| Davidson County Public Library | $9,920.00 | The Davidson Literacy Center project is a collaboration with the Davidson County Department of Social Services and will provide furniture, a rug, educational toys, and books to build two literacy centers located within Social Services. The centers will serve as visitation rooms for foster children and their families who need a comfortable, safe, and fun home-like environment to visit with each other, interact in a healthy manner, and build, rebuild, or sustain relationships. The books and educational toys will provide a way for family members to interact so that they connect and build literacy. |
| Mauney Memorial Library | $7,160.00 | The Kings Mountain Elite Library project will provide a physical library and technology to assist students involved in a non-profit organization that works with community children in various aspects, from sports to after school tutoring. The library and technology will specially be used to enhance students' literacy skills by giving them access to hard copy books in a new, unique setting and supplying technology to elevate their reading comprehension skills. Materials will be used to engage community students in an effort to encourage after school reading and exploration of new ideas. Technology will assist tutors in energizing students with current up to date methods that resonate with student learning. |
| Neuse Regional Library | $8,375.00 | Neuse Regional Libraries will work with the Friend of the Homeless Shelter to establish an Early Literacy space for unhoused families. This space will include technology with learning software in both English and Spanish specifically for ages 2-8, shelving and books at PreK-3 levels, and manipulatives to encourage creativity and foster motor skills development. |
| Wayne County Public Library | $10,000.00 | The Learning Studio Outreach Library project will provide a resource literacy center to support children with learning differences at the Boys and Girls Club of Wayne County's Goldsboro location. The project is an outreach extension of Wayne County Public Library's Learning Studio project. |
LSTA grant awards are made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-256834-OLS-24). LSTA grants are awarded in response to specific needs of public, academic and community college libraries. These federal funds are investments that help libraries deliver relevant and up-to-date services to their communities.