Grant Awarded! Accelerating Promising Practices for Small Libraries
The Institute of Museum and Library Services has announced that RSU 63 is the recipient of a federal grant that focuses on assisting rural libraries and the communities they serve. The grant award of $49,711 will be used over the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. The proposal, co-written by Michelle Wright Hardy, titled “Integrating Literacy and Life Skills in our Libraries” concentrates on providing essential library services and programs for RSU 63 students at Eddingtion Elementary, Holden Elementary, and Holbrook Middle Schools through trained library staff and welcoming, effective, user-friendly libraries.
This year (2019-20), the grant will allow RSU 63 to purchase some new furniture for the Holbrook, Holden, and Eddington school libraries and add library instruction at the Eddington and Holden schools. Next year (2020-21), RSU 63 will be able to have additional after school programs at the Holden School. All 3 of our district’s school libraries will be receiving some new furnishings, all students will now have Library classes, and STEM/STEAM materials will be purchased to be rotated. This is a tremendous opportunity.
– Michelle Wright Hardy