SOLON — Solon Public Library has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in round three of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities.
The competitive award comes with a $10,000 grant that will help the library increase accessibility to the Library, programs, and services for all members of our community.
“We are so proud to be chosen again for this amazing opportunity,” said Library Director Liz King. “This third round of funding will provide our library with an additional grant to help us continue what we started in the first round.”
As part of the grant, Solon Public Library staff will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will then host a community conversation Wednesday, May 21, at 9:00 a.m., with residents about library accessibility and use the grant funds to provide inclusive and accessible programs and services for all of our patrons.
If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Liz King by calling 319-624-2678 or emailing to [email protected]. Once the community conversations have been scheduled, additional information can be found on the Solon Public Library website www.solon.lib.ia.us.
Since 2014, AL A’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities.
Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space
for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.
“Libraries Trans forming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).”