Wayne County, NC – The Wayne County Public Library has been awarded an $8,000 grant to be used for loanable laptops to serve their Goldsboro location. This program was 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 (IMLS grant number LS-00-18-0034-18).
These federal funds are investments that help libraries deliver relevant and up-to-date services for their communities. At Wayne County Public Library the LSTA grant has funded the purchase of ten laptops for the Goldsboro location. Maegen Wilson, Head of Reference, says “These laptops will help job seekers, students, and general computer users who need time beyond the standard hour. We frequently have patrons that need tests proctored or are creating resumes and those tasks can take them several hours to complete. Our mission is to provide our community with a place where they can explore, discover, and connect. These laptops are a part of that mission.” Patrons are able to checkout one of the laptops to use while they are visiting the library.
Wayne County Public Library received one of the 48 competitive grants for fiscal year 2018-2019 awarded to North Carolina libraries from this year’s federal allotment of $4,579,356.00. 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 http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/ld/resources/lsta-grants or contact the State Library’s Federal Programs Consultant at 919-807-7423.
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