Your local library will be getting a little tech-ier soon. The Hailey Public Library was recently awarded a grant of $16,600 in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, granted through the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the Idaho Commission for Libraries (ICfL).
The library said grant funds will be used to purchase audio/visual equipment which will allow live streaming of children’s and adult programs, outdoor programming and enhance video editing. Funds will also be invested in website design and functionality.
“We are so grateful to receive this funding which will help the library build on needs identified during the pandemic,” stated library director Lyn Drewien. “We learned how valuable virtual programming is to our community and how live streaming supports that. Outdoor programming expands our footprint, essentially creating a new ‘room’ for us. We also learned that while our website is workable, its overall design hinders our ability to communicate effectively with our community and, thus, it needs to be revamped and updated.”
Throughout Idaho, 48 libraries of all types—public, school, academic, special, and tribal —received ARPA funding through a competitive grant process.