LTC Accessible Small and Rural Communities Grant 2023-2024
ERVING PUBLIC LIBRARY RECEIVES NATIONAL GRANT FOR SMALL AND RURAL LIBRARIES
$20,000 Grant Will Help the Library Work with Residents Who Identify as Neurodivergent
Erving, MA — Erving Public Library (EPL) has been selected as one of 240 libraries to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): 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 $20,000 grant that will help the library work on better serving local patrons who identify as neurodivergent. The term neurodivergent often refers to disabilities and different kinds of communication or cognitive functioning including but not limited to autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, dyslexia, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, bipolar, dementia, and Alzheimer’s. Patrons at EPL who identify as neurodivergent have requested services and socialization activities. The library is committed to using the LTC grant to increase access to library facilities, services, and programs to better serve people in this population. It is the hope of Assistant Director Jean Daley to reach residents in need and to widen the geographic range of the library’s service population by doing outreach and site visits to day programs.
As part of the grant, EPL staff will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will then host conversations with residents about being neurodivergent, what services the population needs, and use the grant funds to bring the identified services to this population. Some possible programs include monthly socials and take-home packages with soothing and educational activities.
Community Conversations are scheduled for :
- Tuesday, August 22, 11:30am-12:30pm at the Erving Senior and Community Center
- Wednesday, August 23, 10:30am-11:30pm at the Erving Public Library
- Thursday, August 24, 5:30pm-6:30pm, at the Erving Public Library.
Food will be provided at all events.
If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Jean Daley, Assistant Director at jean.daley@erving-ma.gov or (413) 423-3348 option 1, or visit www.erving-ma.gov/library for more information.
Since 2014, ALA’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 Transforming 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).
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