Washington County Public Library receives $20,000 grant

The Washington County Public Library (WCPL) recently received a $20,000 grant from the American Library Association (ALA) to purchase educational tablets and materials.

ALA distributed $1.55 million in COVID emergency relief to 77 libraries nationwide that continue to experience substantial economic hardship due to the pandemic. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund is one of the largest non-federal grant opportunities for libraries.

The youth poverty rate in Chipley is 30 percent, according to a release from ALA. Funding reductions have resulted in an impact to library services. The grant funding will be used to support young adult and adult education through various reading clubs, collection development and Launchpads with adult education materials.

WCPL is answering the call to provide meals to children in the community

“We have ACT and SAT prep, algebra, English, science and some that are just for fun,” said WCPL Director Renae Rountree. “You can check them out just like you check out a book.”

Rountree said some of the funds will allow for an adult book club to be started.

“We will be starting a new book club for adults, but it isn’t the run of the mill kind of club,” Roundtree said. “Each month we will have a different genre of book but there is no pressure to read that book to join in on the discussion. You can come to book club and talk about your favorite book from that genre or even just to listen.”

A book will be given to those who attend at the end of the meeting.
“We are more than grateful to ALA for this funding that will allow us to service our community even more,” Rountree said.

For more information on the Launchpads visit the Washington County Public Library’s Chipley Branch.