The Maryland State Department of Education’s Division of Library Development and Services (DLDS) has awarded $345,576 in grants to Maryland public libraries.
The funding is provided by the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS), through the Library Services and Technology Act. The Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal government agency that oversees libraries and museums nationwide, encourages community partnerships for libraries.
Eight county library systems and one regional system are the recipients of these grants. Through its grant:
· St. Mary’s County Library will partner with child care providers to offer school readiness activities to family child care providers and child care centers.
· The Eastern Shore Regional Library will provide services to the underserved by working with the Maryland court system to provide legal information resources. The eight Eastern Shore County Libraries will be the repositories of legal information for its citizens.
· The Howard County Library will reach out to its communities by providing services to the rapidly growing population of English language learners.
· Prompted by the local hospital, a valuable community partner, Washington County Free Library will conduct a needs assessment of the Hispanic population in order to determine the next steps for optimal library service provision.
· Responding to the goal of increasing technology and electronic linkages, Frederick County Public Libraries will install a Point-of-Sale service for easy payment of fines and a reduction of wait time in line.
· Worcester, Wicomico, and Somerset Counties will receive funding to upgrade their computer system allowing patrons to self check books and providing easier access to library materials.
· Allegany County Library will work with the school system to encourage 5th grade students to create “Pod-casts” in order to increase literacy activities with young children.
· Expanding services for learning will engage two Baltimore County libraries in a needs assessment of their patrons. Staff will be trained in needs assessment and will then share these techniques with other libraries. The needs assessment will direct future strategic planning for the library system.
· Talbot and Howard County libraries and the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped will partner with the Maryland Humanities Council to share the dynamic “Poetry in the Branches” grant with the patrons of these systems. Dr. Michael Glaser, the Maryland Poet Laureate, will share his latest work, “Being a Father”, with those libraries.
For more information visit the Maryland State Department of Education’s website at www.marylandpublicschools.org.