The Lisbon Public Library was awarded $2,865.63 in a grant from the State Library of Iowa from American Rescue Plan Act funds. The grant will go towards purchasing an outdoor solar-powered charging station for the library to provide outreach services in response to both the ongoing pandemic and 2020 derecho power outage.
“We’ve been working to broaden the library’s reach through access to digital library materials like eBooks and audiobooks that our patrons can download on their devices,” said Amy White, director of the Lisbon Public Library. “This charging station will be installed in the park where people are gathering outdoors in nice weather.”
The State Library of Iowa awarded Iowa public libraries up to $5,000 from a portion of its of funding from the American Rescue Plan Act. The grant funds may be used for materials or technology to support digital inclusion efforts to enable libraries to reach residents, especially in support of education, health, and workforce development needs; or to respond to the pandemic and implement public health protocols.
“We are excited to offer these ARPA grants to public libraries and anticipate the positive outcomes that will result, especially because we believe the ones who will benefit most are library patrons.” said Michael Scott, State Librarian of Iowa.
The American Rescue Plan Act is a federal program that was approved by congress and signed by President Biden in March 2021. The State Library received an allotment from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which determined the priorities and rules surrounding how the funds may be used in libraries.
For more information about Lisbon Public Library, go to www.lisbon.lib.ia.us.