Forbes Library was recently awarded a federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant for $7500 from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners (MBLC). “This year’s grants illustrate the vibrant and dynamic ways that libraries connect with their communities,” said Robert Favini, Head of Library Advisory and Development at the MBLC. “The grants help libraries expand service offerings, impact lives and demonstrate why libraries continue to be a vital part of the civic landscape. We are proud of the work that is done by Massachusetts libraries through the LSTA grant program.”
Forbes Library will host a series of events entitled Community Conversations: Resilience and Reflections that will address topics including racial justice, climate change, deepening divides (socio-economic disparities), and safety and justice. In partnership with other community organizations such as Historic Northampton, the David Ruggles Center, Northampton Connects, and the Resistance Film Series, Forbes Library will offer panels, film screenings, reading groups, and facilitated discussions on complex topics approached from multiple lenses. The Library will also offer a Music and Social Justice performance/workshop series, featuring local artists who use music to help build a better world. Through this project, we hope to offer our community a space and opportunity to build connections and grapple with challenging issues, centering the library as an adaptive place for grassroots democracy.
Forbes Library planned this grant in coordination with All Hamptons Read, whose programming centers around Never Caught: the Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge by Erica Armstrong Dunbar, as well as in coordination with the events celebrating our 125th anniversary, whose theme is “Working for the Common Good since 1894.”
In addition to the direct library grant program, the MBLC uses LSTA funds to support statewide programs and services including summer reading programs, research databases, the statewide eBook program, the Commonwealth Catalog and mass.gov/libraries which has information and resources for residents. LSTA is administered on the federal level by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in the Commonwealth by the MBLC. More information about LSTA can be found on Board’s website at www.mass.gov/mblc.
About IMLS
The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is celebrating its 20th Anniversary. The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Our mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. Our grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Press Contacts:
Molly Moss, Forbes Library Assistant Director, 413-587-1017, mmoss@forbeslibrary.org
Heather Diaz, Forbes Library Reference Librarian, 413-587-1012, hdiaz@forbeslibrary.org