Warren County Memorial Library plans to use more than $58,000 in grant money to get a few projects off the ground.
The three grants total $58,468, according to information from Charla Duncan, Warren County’s public information officer. One grant will be used for creating storywalks at Buck Spring Park and Magnolia Ernest Recreation Park; another grant is for the expansion of the library’s collection through the NC Cardinal system; and the third grant is to hire consultants to assist in developing a new five-year strategic plan.
“The library is looking forward to implementing these three grants to better serve the county,” stated Library Director Christy Bondy. “The strategic plan updates will help gather feedback from the community on shaping the future of the library.”
The projects are supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.
The federal funds help libraries deliver relevant and up-to-date services for their communities. At Warren County Memorial Library, the LSTA grants will help expand the library’s collection through the NC Cardinal system. Users can borrow materials from 60 other participating library systems statewide.
Warren County Memorial Library received three of the 48 grants for fiscal year 2023-2024 awarded to North Carolina libraries from this year’s federal allotment of $2,590,904. The LSTA grant program administered by the State Library of North Carolina funds library projects across the state that advance excellence and promote equity by strengthening capacity, expanding access, and community engagement in North Carolina’s libraries.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. Through the LSTA Grants to States program, IMLS provides funds to state library agencies using a population-based formula. State libraries may use the appropriation to support statewide initiatives and services; they may also distribute the funds through competitive subgrants to public and academic libraries. To learn more about the Institute, please visit www.imls.gov.
For more information about North Carolina’s LSTA program, visit the State Library of North Carolina’s LSTA web page at https://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/services-libraries/grants-libraries/lsta-grant-information or contact the State Library’s Federal Programs Consultant at 919-814-6796.
The Warren County Memorial Library is located at 119 S. Front St. Warrenton. For more information, visit www.wcmlibrary.org.