2008 Woodie Awards
County books new check-out equipment
Chelsey Cole
Issue date: 11/8/07 Section: News
The Adair County Public Library received a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services in January to purchase up-to-date computer equipment.
The grant was a part of the Library Services Technology Act Technology Grant Program. The Missouri State Library administered the awarded $71,496 to the public library.
"[The Institute of Museum and Library Services] gives the money to states, in our case the Missouri State Library, and we can apply for those funds," said Glenda Hunt, director of the Adair County Library. "We were one of 62 grants submitted for the equipment, and we were one of the lucky ones to be funded."
The Missouri State Library grant staff recognized the public library's need for new computer equipment, she said.
"The grant people got to see our building, our operation, and the whole staff was very impressed by our community support," Hunt said.
Missouri awards matching grants on a 60-40 basis, but the public library applied for and received a 75-25 matched grant, Hunt said.
"What they awarded us for their 75-percent match from the state was $71,469, and our library will provide the 25 percent, which is approximately $24,000," Hunt said.
Each year since 1996, the public library reserved a portion of its budget for computer replacement instead of spending the money on new books, she said.
"But this has been a long time coming," she said.
The new computer equipment changes the library from a text-based system to a Web-based system, Hunt said.
A text-based system allows patrons to search the library catalogue by computer in the library, but the new Web-based system lets people search the book catalogue from their home computer through the library's Web page.
"The patrons will have easier access to the library catalogue and meet their requested needs of placing holds and view their personal accounts," Hunt said. "They can't do that now. We can as staff, but they can't."
The grant was a part of the Library Services Technology Act Technology Grant Program. The Missouri State Library administered the awarded $71,496 to the public library.
"[The Institute of Museum and Library Services] gives the money to states, in our case the Missouri State Library, and we can apply for those funds," said Glenda Hunt, director of the Adair County Library. "We were one of 62 grants submitted for the equipment, and we were one of the lucky ones to be funded."
The Missouri State Library grant staff recognized the public library's need for new computer equipment, she said.
"The grant people got to see our building, our operation, and the whole staff was very impressed by our community support," Hunt said.
Missouri awards matching grants on a 60-40 basis, but the public library applied for and received a 75-25 matched grant, Hunt said.
"What they awarded us for their 75-percent match from the state was $71,469, and our library will provide the 25 percent, which is approximately $24,000," Hunt said.
Each year since 1996, the public library reserved a portion of its budget for computer replacement instead of spending the money on new books, she said.
"But this has been a long time coming," she said.
The new computer equipment changes the library from a text-based system to a Web-based system, Hunt said.
A text-based system allows patrons to search the library catalogue by computer in the library, but the new Web-based system lets people search the book catalogue from their home computer through the library's Web page.
"The patrons will have easier access to the library catalogue and meet their requested needs of placing holds and view their personal accounts," Hunt said. "They can't do that now. We can as staff, but they can't."
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