LSTA Grant Information

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2022-2023 Awards

The 2022-2023 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grants include 37 awards for local library projects that advance excellence and promote equity by strengthening capacity, expanding access, and community engagement in North Carolina's libraries. Grants can be viewed by LSTA goals in the tabs below.

Tab/Accordion Items

North Carolinians will have libraries with essential resources and capable staff that enable them to provide exceptional library programs and services. Projects listed below address Goal 1 of the 2018-2022 LSTA Five Year Plan.

Braswell Memorial Public Library

Braswell Library: Computers for Adult Education                                                 Awarded: $9,750.00

Braswell Library will create a new computer lab at the main library. Working in collaboration with Nash Community College, the computer classroom is used to train unemployed and underemployed adults in basic computer, keyboard, and internet skills. The new computers will support student education by including web cameras and microphones to meet the needs of users for video conferences, Zoom meetings, and interviews.

Caswell County Public Library

Caswell County Storywalks                                           Awarded: $25,002.00

Caswell County Public Library will install Storywalks along local community walkways to provide a fun, educational, physical activity that promotes early literacy skills. Storywalks will encourage healthy outdoor family activity while cultivating a love of reading in community youth. The library will work with the two county towns and neighborhood organizations to locate the Storywalks in high-impact, high-poverty locations. The library will schedule on-site programs at each location to promote the Storywalks, library programs, and walkways. The Storywalks will encourage physical activity and use of local outdoor resources, early literacy, and family time together in nature. Stories will be changed every other month.

Catawba County Library

The Power of Play                                            Awarded: $43,659.00

To support young families and strengthen caregivers’ abilities to help their preschool children develop early language and literacy skills, the Catawba County Library will establish an interactive early literacy play space based on the five skills outlined in the “Every Child Read to Read” program. This strategically designed space will encourage parents and caregivers to sing, talk, read, write and play with their children, strengthening their early literacy skills and preparing for kindergarten. Additionally, the Catawba County Partnership for Children will deliver Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) workshops at the library and provide consultation and training to help the library establish a parent’s playgroup to bring families together in this space for guided play programs.

Cumberland County Public Library & Information Center

Forward Together: Community-Based Capacity Building                                   Awarded: $135,713.00

Forward Together: A Comprehensive Community Based Strategy to Capacity Building at Cumberland County Public Library (CCPL) is a result of a community assessment process as a part of the 2020 Project Long Range Strategic Plan. It found that CCPL’s community desired innovative, science and technology programs for youth, schools and families, and collaborative spaces for groups and individuals of all ages. It highlighted the library did not have the spaces or technology to meet these needs. Forward Together will provide innovative programming and active learning spaces. From STEAM programming partnerships, to a Creation Station, a Digital Preservation Lab, and collaborative, multi-sensory spaces, Forward Together is the foundation to expand CCPL’s capacity for serving our community.

Davidson County Public Library

Facility Needs Assessment for Northern Davidson County                                         Awarded: $12,750.00

The Davidson County Public Library will work with a consulting firm to assess facility needs in Northern Davidson County. The current facility, located in Welcome, has served that part of the county since 1971. Due to challenges inherent in the current facility and robust growth in that area of the county, the time is opportune to assess current and future library space needs for Northern Davidson County, including those related to programming, meeting room use, accessibility, and location. The consulting firm will seek community stakeholder input during the assessment process.

Elizabeth City State University, G. R. Little Library

G.R. Little Library Modernization and Improvement                                           Awarded: $72,754.00

The G.R. Little Library proposes to purchase and install a modern, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) system for the library’s entire physical collection, along with self-checkout stations. A modern, RFID-based system will modernize the library’s inventory management system and allow for swift and accurate inventories of the library collection, leading to increased efficiency and accuracy in library operations. Self-checkout stations will lead to improved user experience through increased convenience, privacy, and efficiency. This project will modernize library operations and user experience at the G.R. Little Library.

Farmville Public Library

Farmville Public Library FY23-28 Strategic Plan                                    Awarded: $28,224.00

The Farmville Public Library (FPL) will hire a consultant to facilitate a comprehensive strategic planning process resulting in a five-year strategic plan for FY2023 through FY2028. The consultant will collaborate with FPL staff, Library Board of Trustees, local government leaders, community stakeholders, and the citizens served by the library to design a plan that will guide future programs and service of FPL. The planning process will include an environmental scan of the community, community-wide surveys, and focus groups and interviews with stakeholders to identify the needs and priorities of Farmville. Through this process a measurable set of goals, objectives, and activities will be written into the strategic plan to guide FPL in serving the evolving needs of the community.

Forsyth Technical Community College

Forsyth Tech Library Strategic Planning Process                                   Awarded: $29,100.00

Forsyth Technical Community College aims to strengthen the capacity of its central library by engaging a skilled consultant to prepare a comprehensive assessment of strengths, weaknesses, and threats with equal attention to current needs and future opportunities. Although traditional library functions remain important, library staff and college leadership are eager to further position the library to support the college vision to become “a catalyst for equitable economic mobility, empowering lives, and transforming communities". Supporting the college vision requires vital, modern, and dynamic library facilities and resources to create opportunities for broader and more innovative ways of serving the needs of the college community and remaining relevant into the future.

Gibsonville Public Library

Planning a community-focused library                                    Awarded: $11,750.00

The Gibsonville Public Library seeks to hire an experienced consultant to develop a needs assessment that identifies current and future library facility needs based on input from the Gibsonville community and provides recommendations for addressing those needs.

Guilford College, Hege Library

Visual Edge: Sustaining Art as Special Collection                                  Awarded: $16,471.00

Guilford College’s Art Gallery is co-located in Hege Library and, as of 2020, is a component of Quaker Archives and Special Collections. These recent organizational changes mandate developing a strategy incorporating art as a special collection prioritizing visual literacy and curricular engagement. This includes attention to collection development and management of current art collections and future priorities aligned with institutional planning underway in 2022-23. An experienced curator similarly based in an academic library setting serves as consultant. The project includes relevant institutional site visits for librarians and teaching faculty and campus conversations to envision a sustainable future for visual arts in the library inclusive of our increasingly diverse campus community.

High Point Public Library

High Point Public Library Space Needs Assessment                                             Awarded: $36,000.00

The High Point Public Library is seeking a planning grant for a space needs assessment. By utilizing a space needs assessment, the library will be better able to serve users, allocating space for what is in their best interests.  This will also allow us to fulfill a part of the library's current Strategic Plan’s long range goals, which is to develop a growth and sustainability plan for the facility.

Methodist University

The Voyage to Alma at Methodist University                                        Awarded: $28,500.00

Ex Libris’ Integrated Library System (ILS), Voyager, was implemented at Methodist University in 1999, in a world where print materials dominated library collections and online degree programs were virtually nonexistent. Now, over twenty years later, Methodist University’s Davis Memorial Library is seeking an LSTA grant in order to implement an ILS built for today’s world; Ex Libris' Alma. The dynamic public interfaces and mobile application will entice users while the cloud-based, unified platform will revolutionize staff efficiency. Additionally, staff users will benefit from improved workflows and the ability to work when away from the campus server.

Neuse Regional Library

Neuse Regional Libraries Strategic Plan 2022-2023                                            Awarded: $12,117.00

Neuse Regional Libraries will develop a new strategic plan for 2023-2028 based on a Community Needs Assessment conducted under the direction of a highly regarded consultant. The Library will hire temporary canvassers to help conduct the survey element of the assessment, and will provide appropriate training to staff conducting the survey in order to successfully reach segments of the community that the Library has identified as currently being underserved and lacking awareness of library services. The Library's Leadership Team will then use the results of the Needs Assessment and consider the input of the community at large as well as staff, Board members, and other key stakeholders in the creation of a new strategic plan and corresponding action plan for the next five years.

New Hanover County Public Library

Local History Archival Management Assessment                                Awarded: $20,625.00

New Hanover County Public Library proposes hiring an archival management consultant to provide expert analysis of our local history policies, collections, services, space, and work processes to optimize access and expand our user base in a new facility. After 40 years in its current home, the library is updating our North Carolina Room mission and management practices in preparation for a move. The downtown library will be co-located with the county’s Cape Fear Museum in a library-museum complex in space adjacent to the current library facility. This project will draw fresh attention to the library’s respected local history archives, presenting an opportunity to attract new users and improve our service model.

Onslow County Public Library

Family Place Library                                        Awarded: $18,093.00

Onslow County Public Library will become a Family Place Library. Families who are unable to afford day care and/or preschool will be able to provide the learning and social skills necessary for their child's school career.   Modeling and teaching ways to interact and learn for parents in the early years, connecting services, and most importantly connecting families will create opportunities that reach far into each family member's life.  The mission of Family Place Libraries™ is to increase the capacity of libraries throughout the nation to recognize and realize their full potential as community hubs for healthy child and family development, parent and community involvement and lifelong learning beginning at birth.   The mission of Family Place aligns perfectly with Onslow County Public Library's mission to enrich, empower and inspire.

Randolph County Public Library

Expanding StoryWalks to Bridge Early Literacy Gaps                                          Awarded: $16,300.00

The Randolph County Public Library is seeking LSTA funds to place a permanent StoryWalk at parks in three communities: Archdale, Randleman, and Seagrove. The response in the community to existing StoryWalks has been overwhelming and illustrates how successfully StoryWalks can meet a number of needs in our community: preparing children for educational success, bridging early literacy gaps, fostering family engagement, and encouraging outdoor wellness activities.

Randolph County Public Library

Randolph County Public Library Radio Frequency ID                                           Awarded: $78,425.00

To improve visitor experiences and increase services to individuals and organizations served by library outreach, the Randolph County Public Library is seeking funding to implement Radio Frequency Identification technology (RFID) throughout the seven-library system. RFID and compatible self-checkout machines will provide library patrons with reduced checkout wait times and offer them service similar to what they have become used to in many shopping locations. Saving of staff time also will benefit both in-house library users and those accessing library outreach by freeing staff for more substantive patron interactions. Patrons also will benefit from a more efficient experience seeking library materials as a result of more accurate inventory and security control made possible by RFID.

Western Carolina University, Hunter Library

Library Space Usability Study                                       Awarded: $9,310.00

This project is a usability study of the physical library space.  Using eye-tracking glasses, users will assess the library space. This will involve giving participants tasks from a predetermined list, as well as allowing participants to give free-form feedback.  There will also be opportunities for participants to detail their usual use of the library. The data gathered from this project will allow us to create a more usable physical space.

North Carolinians will have expanded access to resources for learning and success in school, work, and life. Projects listed below address Goal 2 of the 2018-2022 LSTA Five Year Plan.

Cleveland County Library System

Cleveland County Mobile Library                                                Awarded: $100,000.00

Cleveland County Library System is seeking funds to support the purchase of a new technologically equipped bookmobile which will serve as a mobile library to the citizens of Cleveland County. A technologically equipped bookmobile will enable CCLS Outreach Services to provide its current bookmobile patrons with access to digital information and the opportunity to increase their technological literacy and workforce development skills by attending classes taught by Outreach Staff. The mobile library will provide traditional circulation services and non-traditional services by partnering with community organizations to address the literacy, digital access, and address the gap STEAM and STEM skills for youth ages 10 to 21, with strategic stops in the county.

Duplin County Library

Duplin County Library Migration                                                Awarded: $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.

Durham County Library

Teaching Technology: The Cutting Edge Made Mobile                                       Awarded: $79,750.00

Through Teaching Technology: The Cutting Edge Made Mobile, Durham County Library will assist in bridging the digital divide in Durham by bringing programs, services, and resources outside the walls of the library and into the community through utilization of the Tech Mobile. The goals of the project include increased access to information technology for the community and hands-on experience with and learning of diverse, cutting-edge technology for all ages. Updated devices and new cutting-edge technology with supplementary curriculum for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics based outreach events will allow the Tech Mobile to expand and improve services and programs to the community, focusing specifically on vulnerable and historically underserved groups and individuals.

Gibsonville Public Library

Gibsonville Public Library Migration                                         Awarded: $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.

Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library

Hocutt-Ellington Memorial Library Migration                                       Awarded: $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.

North Carolina A&T State University, F. D. Bluford Library

Creating Research Objects for Students by Students                                          Awarded: $74,060.00

To increase students’ information literacy & research skills, and to support online learning, the F.D. Bluford Library aims to collaborate with students to create instructional videos that will be housed on our library’s website under a creative commons license available for instructors and academic support services to incorporate into their teaching by providing tools that students need to produce original research. Allowing students to take the lead on content creation, not only helps them gain a deeper understanding but helps them see themselves as creators of knowledge. Anticipated outcomes are that users will be able to improve core skills, access information anywhere, and have the library produce quality tools for information literacy and research, to improve overall understanding.

North Carolina State University Libraries

Extending NC Cooperative Extension Digital History                                           Awarded: $10,884.00

The NC State University Libraries will conduct a one-year project titled “Extending NC Cooperative Extension Digital History” to further digital discoverability of primary source materials on agricultural extension and its impact on North Carolina’s citizens and the state’s 20th century agricultural economy. This project will scan, describe, and create a full text index of 5,945 digital objects (pages/items) from reports, pamphlets, publications, film, and other archival materials in the Libraries’ collections on North Carolina Cooperative Extension. The project will create a single online access point in which library users, North Carolina citizens, and researchers throughout the world can access these important historical materials.

Onslow County Public Library

Onslow County Rec & Read Mobile Trailer                                              Awarded: $29,521.00

Onslow County Rec & Read is a project developed by the Onslow County Public Library and the Onslow County Parks and Recreation Department.  The two entities are coming together to promote reading literacy and physical fitness throughout Onslow County by taking their programs to underserved areas of the County, events, and gatherings.  This will be accomplished through the purchase a mobile box trailer which will hold equipment and supplies to present these programs.  The Rec & Read trailer will be wrapped in a graphic design to promote the program, along with Onslow County Public Library and Parks and Recreation.  Rec & Read will then travel throughout the County to present programs and promote resources encouraging reading literacy and physical fitness.

Perry Memorial Library

Perry Memorial Library Bookmobile                                          Awarded: $100,000.00

Perry Memorial Library is a single branch library system serving the citizens of Vance County. The library seeks a bookmobile to essentially create a mobile branch that will increase community outreach and reach a larger audience by providing additional stops to schools, rural locations (i.e. parks, churches), and special events. The vehicle would be outfitted with shelves for materials and include WI-FI capabilities to increase access and reduce barriers to citizens.

Pettigrew Regional Library

Pettigrew Regional Gets Crafty                                   Awarded: $14,726.00

Pettigrew Regional Library will create crafting spaces and programming for the patrons in the three county system.  With a renewed interest in creating, patrons will have access to technology and new virtual and in-person programs that will allow them to enrich their lives.

Stanly County Library

Stanly County Public Library Migration                                    Awarded: $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.

Wilson County Public Library

Assistive Technology Library                                        Awarded: $9,902.00

Wilson County Public Library is seeking funding to purchase assistive devices to provide for library customers in Wilson County.  The goal is to create a library of assistive devices that all ages can check out and use in or outside the library.   Many of the customers that are served do not have access to this technology.  By providing this collection, the library can bring this technology to library customers and make the library’s resources more accessible for the community.

Wilson County Public Library

Lockers for Literacy                                          Awarded: $49,999.00

The Wilson County Public Library is seeking grant funding to purchase two (2) outdoor smart locker systems and book returns for remote installation in underserved rural communities.  The equipment will provide convenient pickup and return of reserved materials.

North Carolinians will have libraries that are more effective because they cooperate, coordinate, collaborate, and communicate to help the community address its needs. Projects listed below address Goal 3 of the 2018-2022 LSTA Five Year Plan.

Craven-Pamlico Regional Library

Maribelle Hollowell Annex                                            Awarded: $49,902.00

Craven-Pamlico Regional Library (CPRL) in collaboration with Heartworks, a non-profit afterschool care facility, will break down existing barriers to literacy in rural Pamlico County by creating a safe, welcoming, vibrant, and accessible library space (Maribelle Hollowell Annex) in the Heartworks building. CPRL will have an developmentally appropriate and culturally-inclusive collection and offer programs focused on encouraging reading, overcoming barriers, surviving tragedies, promoting self esteem, and personal growth for preschool through 8th grade. Technology, (hotspots, iPads and Chromebooks) will be circulated. The annex will join CPRL in sharing resources and collections in Craven and Pamlico County not only supporting access, but lifelong learning.

East Carolina University

Documenting a Local Win over Environmental Racism                                      Awarded: $49,415.00

East Carolina University Special Collections and the Phoenix Historical Society will collaborate on a documentary film telling the story of one community's fight against environmental racism. In 1995, Iowa Beef Processors, Inc. proposed a hog-processing plant in Kingsboro, North Carolina - a predominantly Black community between Rocky Mount and Tarboro. Residents raised concerns about the social, physical, and environmental costs of the plant's operation. These efforts resulted in extensive public debate and ultimately reversed the rezoning approval. This project will provide open access to the film through ECU’s Digital Collections website, will provide public screenings of the documentary, and will make available historical documents related to the work of the Kingsboro community.

Lincoln County Public Library

Digital Art Studio                                              Awarded: $50,000.00

The Lincoln County Public Library plans to develop an innovative digital arts lab that will support and expand the library’s arts programming. The library will partner with the Lincoln County Arts Council to offer classes and an art show to introduce new technologies and techniques into a community that has requested more arts programs from its library system. Apple iPads, Apple Pencils, and sublimation printers will be used to encourage creativity and also serve as a teaching tool to bridge the digital divide which is currently a challenge to much of Lincoln County’s population. Additionally, the equipment and materials purchased will work in conjunction with all three library branches’ maker spaces to make the technology more broadly available to residents.

Neuse Regional Library

Mind Over Matter: Conversations About Mental Health                                    Awarded: $68,364.00

Neuse Regional Libraries will implement a series of programs to address community mental health issues and expand access to social services. Health care professionals will lead discussions on depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and sleep deprivation. Chromebooks and hotspots will be available for check out to encourage off-site participation. A full-time social worker will be hired to connect community members with resources that will help them access mental health services and other important social services. This position will also help lead the Let's Connect! initiative, an existing pilot program which utilizes social work interns from East Carolina University and was created in response to the strain COVID-19 placed on rural communities that were already struggling.

Special Projects

Special Projects are those that arise on an ad hoc basis which meet the requirements of the LSTA plan and priorities and that have a clear benefit for the libraries of a community of interest or for all of the state’s libraries.

North Carolina Library Association

NCLA Leadership Institute 2020+2                                             Awarded: $6,000.00

The NCLA Leadership Institute is an intensive 4 day residential event designed to cultivate and inspire North Carolina library leaders. The Institute will take place September 13-16, 2022 at Black Mountain YMCA Blue Ridge Assembly. In addition to the 4 day event, participation in the Leadership Institute requires a 1 year commitment to engage in a group mentor/mentee relationship, attendance at a 1 day follow up session, and participation in the 2023 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 improved understanding of self and others while inspiring participants to serve in leadership roles within the profession at local, state, and national levels.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

North Carolina Digital Heritage Center                                    Awarded: $603,154.00

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 helping libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural heritage institutions throughout the state to digitize materials from their local and family history collections and make them freely accessible online. The Center also helps North Carolina institutions share information about their digital collections with a national audience through the Digital Public Library of America. The Center is committed to providing 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 Extension Project                                            Awarded: $99,915.00

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 (http://dlas.uncg.edu/), the project builds a unique centralized database of bills of sales that index the names of enslaved people from across North Carolina and beyond. The database is made freely available via the Internet. People Not Property currently houses material and data from 13 North Carolina counties, and includes 10,869 documents referencing 54,007 people.

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 82 public library systems across the state.  This platform allows library staff to easily create online content for users in a hosted environment. 

#EverythingNC engages users by making State Library materials freely accessible, collaborates with other organizations to preserve and make digital content available, and engages with a growing digital preservation community. We will maintain our established collaboration with the State Archives of North Carolina (SANC) through continued testing of LibSafe for digital preservation, developing a pilot collection in the CollectionBuilder tool, and expanding access to military oral histories of North Carolina veterans. We will also develop and broaden access to our Personal Digital Archiving workshops, both onsite and across the state, while pursuing plans to establish a statewide digital preservation community.

Adult Services goal is to provide professional development opportunities and collaborative experiences to enhance or improve library staff skills in providing programs and services to the diverse group of adult users throughout the state. 

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 learning opportunities and online resources that enhance library services and promote excellence and innovation. This project will also support professional development opportunities specifically for the Continuing Education Consultant so that she can continue to design high-quality, useful, and desirable learning opportunities to meet the continuing education of public and academic library staff statewide.

Data-Driven Decisions will provide access to Gale Analytics and targeted training to a self-selected group of NC public libraries for 2 years to allow them to pair their Integrated Library System (ILS) data with deep demographic and market segmentation insights. State Library staff will work with public libraries and Gale Analytics to create custom dashboards that make data actionable. Libraries will receive training on how data can be used to analyze collections and programs for alignment with community needs and interests, target outreach services, and support equity, diversity and inclusion efforts. in addition to providing access to LibPAS, the software used to report Public Library Survey data.

The Five-Year Evaluation seeks to acquire the services of a contractor with expertise in assessment and programmatic evaluation, to carry out an evaluation of North Carolina’s 2018-2022 LSTA Five Year Plan that is comprehensive and representative of all libraries eligible for this program.

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 networking opportunities with other new directors. The orientation will be provided asynchronously consisting of a virtual component in the Fall 2021 and if travel is permitted, an in-person component in the Spring 2022.

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.

SLNC Strengthening Capabilities will specifically provide educational and training opportunities at the individual and organizational levels via programming, formal training activities and conference attendance. Project activities will target the entire staff of the State Library of North Carolina; The Government and Heritage Library, The North Carolina Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library Development and Library Administration. Project outcomes will result in the target group developing and maintaining essential skills and competencies, as well as broadening their knowledge of library and societal trends. These outcomes will strengthen the State Library of North Carolina’s capability to better serve and engage with libraries and the public across North Carolina.

Youth Services will provide professional development and grant opportunities centered around services for youth and families which will result in improved programs and resources in North Carolina libraries. Both in-person and online continuing education opportunities will be explored to maximize impact. This year's opportunities will concentrate on services and programs for young children as teen services will be covered by an ongoing program.

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-249980-OLS-21).

Food Literacy Center Mini-Grants

Food Literacy mini-grants will support food literacy & nutrition programming for North Carolina's public libraries. This opportunity funds grants to public libraries to purchase mobile teaching kitchens, supplemental programming materials, and appropriate safety supplies. Food Literacy Center Mini-Grants supports Goal Two from North Carolina’s LSTA Five Year Plan; Expanding Access.. SLNC has awarded $166,945 to 11 public libraries across the state to:

Appalachian Regional Library

Awarded: $17,000
Heritage Cooking Classes

Heritage-cooking classes will be available at the library to help people rediscover and embrace healthy, sustainable joys of the “old ways” or shared cultural traditions. Along with the taste of heritage foods, we plan to introduce cultural reads for book club selections. Celebrating diversity with ethnic foods:  African, Mediterranean, Latin American, Asian, and vegetarian/vegan will bring community members together and inspire shared stories.  We will also have available a Fresh Foods Fridge in the library for our patrons, making available surplus produce and foods from area growers.  In the summer months, we will resume our Imagination Cafe, on hiatus since 2020.  This program offers meals to children who attend story times and will utilize special cooking classes for children as well.

BHM Regional Library

Awarded: $8,650
Cooking Up Food Literacy

Cooking Up Food Literacy is a program designed to instruct families in Beaufort, Hyde, and Martin Counties on healthier food preparation. Due to busy lifestyles, too often people are in a hurry and tend to pick up fast food or grab a precooked meal from the grocery store. These often are unhealthy choices that can increase risk for chronic diseases. The purpose of Cooking Up Food Literacy is to establish and demonstrate that you can eat healthier by planning meals, doing meal prep and cooking meals at home in a relatively short time.

Chatham County Public Library

Awarded: $17,000
Learn About Food at Your Library!

Chatham County Public Libraries will launch "Learn About Food at Your Library!" which will include a series of food literacy and nutrition programs. Through the purchase of a teaching kitchen and accompanying curriculum, and in partnership with Chatham County Registered Dietitians, we will address topics related to food and healthy eating habits as they relate to overall health and wellness, food safety, nutritional labeling, disease prevention, and healthy eating during times of high monetary inflation, among others. Cooking demonstrations and discussion around healthy foods and nutrition, will give participants a better understanding of the impact of food choices on their health, the environment, and on local economies.

Fontana Regional Library

Awarded: $15,915
The Kitchen Literacy Connection

Jackson 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. The Youth Services and Adult Services departments will each 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 Jackson County residents.

Gaston County Public Library

Awarded: $17,000
Hands-On Nutrition at Gaston County Public Library

Gaston County Public Library will use the Charlie Cart mobile kitchen to provide food education programming at no cost to all ages. The Charlie Cart is a mobile kitchen with power, storage, and sink that is equipped with essential tools and appliances. Gaston County Public Library staff will present both in-person and virtual food literacy programming using the Charlie Cart and its hands-on curriculum for Kindergarten through 12th grade. GCPL staff will use healthy vegetables, fruits, and simple ingredients to illustrate low-cost, low-stress meals that participants can create at home. Partnering with Public Health and other local organizations, GCPL will expand the program’s reach to underserved groups to provide nutrition resources to counter the food scarcity our residents face.

Granville County Library System

Awarded: $16,930
Spice & Dice Program

The Granville County Library System seeks to implement the Spice & Dice program: an intergenerational health literacy and nutrition program to the Granville County citizens by partnering with local food agencies and organizing free food and nutrition programs. The library plans to purchase a Charlie Cart: a mobile food preparation station with kitchen supplies and curriculum guide to engage participants in hands-on cooking and healthy eating using locally sourced foods, as well as additional culinary supplies, kitchen safety items, and the necessary food for implementing the program.

Harnett County Public Library

Awarded: $16,800
Charlie Cart Project at HCPL

Food literacy and access is an ongoing struggle in our local communities. The Charlie Cart Project is an initiative that seeks to increase nutrition awareness and access to healthy meals by providing affordable and comprehensive food education programs that empower people to make positive eating choices. The Charlie Cart Project includes a fully-equipped mobile food kitchen, a programming curriculum, and training for library staff. The Harnett County Public Library will work with local community partners to employ the Charlie Cart and the included curriculum to offer cooking classes and nutrition training for community members of all ages and backgrounds, including families and community members that are at risk for food insecurity and harmful health behaviors.

Haywood County Public Library

Awarded: $11,450
Healthy Haywood Food Literacy Project

Healthy Haywood, a Food Literacy Project of the Haywood County Public Library, will benefit community members in many ways, including: receiving information about healthy foods; attending demonstrations in food preparation; receiving access to seeds; and, accessing fresh produce. Grant funds will be used to purchase pre-fabricated mobile demonstration tables, a mobile cart for food distribution, kitchen and program supplies, and teaching resources. The Healthy Haywood Food Literacy Project will positively impact community members of all ages affected by food insecurity and health issues. Participants in the Healthy Haywood project will have the opportunity to engage with, learn along with, and benefit from programs presented by library staff experienced in food literacy.

Hickory Public Library

Awarded: $12,200
Book Bistro

The Hickory Public Library aims to provide hands-on nutrition based cooking classes for the benefit of adults in our community who live with food insecurity, diabetes, and obesity. These are the three main dietary issues adults face in Hickory, NC. Through consultation with project partners, Hickory Public Library has devised a plan to create a comprehensive, fully equipped kitchen cart. This kitchen cart will enable the Library to offer food and cooking related classes. The purpose of these classes is to teach how to cook fresh food and make healthy dietary changes. Our community partners will provide programming that teaches participants how to source locally grown seasonal ingredients and utilize physician-approved curriculum to address chronic illness with a plant-based diet.

Madison County Public Libraries

Awarded: $17,000
Feed, Seed, and Read

It’s no secret that healthy eating is essential to healthy living. The CDC defines a healthy eating plan as one that includes a variety of healthy foods including fresh herbs and a rainbow variety of fruits and vegetables; a variety of protein foods, and a plate that is low in added sugars, sodium, saturated/trans fats, and cholesterol. Healthy food has become costly food, however, which results in people on fixed incomes relying on foods that are cheaper and less healthy. A portion of Madison County residents rely on food assistance, but often they are faced with unfamiliar foods and lack the necessary skills to make healthier eating choices. The library desires to bridge the gap here and provide hands-on healthy cooking classes for all ages to combat health issues within our community.

Wilson County Public Library

Awarded: $17,000
Wilson County Public Library Food Literacy Program

The Wilson County Public Library is seeking grant funding to provide food literacy programs throughout Wilson County. Our food literacy programs will meet the needs of at-risk, food-insecure, underserved urban, and rural communities.  We will target these specific populations: low-income preschoolers and seniors, African Americans with food-related health disparities, Spanish-speaking and migrant families, special needs adults, at-risk teens, and families who live in food deserts. The program’s goals are to increase knowledge of healthful foods and how to prepare them, provide nutritious snacks or meals, improve health, and fill gaps in current food literacy services.

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The Adapting Technology program accepted applications that will allow for libraries to improve library operations through the purchase of technology that support efforts to enable libraries to reach residents, especially in support of education, health, and workforce development needs; and/or to respond to the pandemic and implement public health protocols. These funds will help libraries respond directly and immediately to community needs arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.  The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the critical need for equitable access to technology that cultivates learning within North Carolina’s communities and reduces disparities in access to knowledge and resources.

The State Library received funding as part of the federal government’s investment in museums and libraries through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which provided additional funds to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to support vital library programs and services in local communities. 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. 

These 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 NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-250229-OLS-21).  

Round 1

  • Appalachian Regional Library-$40,000
  • Burke County Public Library-$39,790
  • Fontana Regional Library-$33,820
  • Greensboro College, James Addison Jones Library-$24,000
  • Halifax County Library-$37,520
  • Haywood County Public Library-$39,095
  • Hickory Public Library-$40,000
  • Lee County Libraries-$17,283
  • Methodist University, Davis Memorial Library-$39,176
  • Neuse Regional Library-$40,000
  • Perry Memorial Library-$40,000
  • Stanly Community College Library-$23,325
  • Wayne County Public Library-$40,000
  • Wilson County Public Library-$38,500

Round 2

  • Cabarrus County Public Library-$39,180
  • Caswell County Public Library-$40,000
  • Catawba County Library-$28,692
  • College of The Albemarle-$39,340
  • Craven-Pamlico Regional Library-$40,000
  • Davidson County Public Library System-$34,950
  • Duplin County Library-$40,000
  • Forsyth Technical Community College-$40,000
  • Franklin County Library-$24,655
  • Granville County Library System-$17,775
  • Harnett County Public Library-$40,000
  • Harold D. Cooley Library-$30,320
  • Iredell County Public Library-$10,250
  • Lincoln County Public Library-$40,000
  • Martin Community College Library-$40,000
  • New Hanover County Public Library-$40,000
  • North Carolina Central University, James E. Shepard Memorial Library-$40,000
  • Onslow County Public Library-$40,000
  • Pettigrew Regional Library-$38,404
  • Polk County Public Libraries-$40,000
  • Public Library of Johnston County and Smithfield-$40,000
  • Randolph County Public Library-$22,500
  • Roanoke Rapids Public Library-$9,000
  • Robeson County Public Library-$40,000
  • Rockingham Community College-$39,990
  • Rowan Public Library-$36,000
  • Sandhill Regional Library System-$40,000
  • Sandhills Community College-$13,835
  • University of North Carolina at Asheville, D. Hiden Ramsey Library-$34,375
  • University of North Carolina at Charlotte, J. Murrey Atkins Library-$39,967
  • UNC School of the Arts-$33,000
  • University of North Carolina Wilmington, Randall Library-$14,850
Logo for the Institute of Museum and Library Services

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-252476-OLS-22). 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.