Library awarded $10, 929 for Strengthening Communities Grant

Submitted by Andie Mewbourn

The Orange Beach Public Library has been awarded a $10,929 Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant by the Alabama Public Library Service. The Strengthening Communities Grant was submitted by Reference Librarian, Maria Baroco, and will be used to conduct and promote five new library programs. These new, family-oriented programs are designed to increase use of the library as a community activity and learning center.

Beginning this month, 4 new programs will be added to the library’s activities calendar: Family DIY will allow families to work together to create and learn through craft, art and science projects.; Gaming @ OBPL will allow families to gather for electronic and traditional game play.; Thursday Night Movies will provide families with a no-cost opportunity for social activity and Bedtime Books will extend the benefits of our successful morning Pre-school Storytime to those families who are only able to attend evening activities. Later this summer, the library will also launch Archiving Orange Beach, an effort to create a digital archive of oral histories documenting the evolution of Orange Beach which will provide a long-term and unique resource for future research.

This Strengthening Communities grant is funded by the Alabama Public Library Service under the Library Services and Technology Act, P.L.108-81, as amended, through the Institute of Museum and Library Services. For more information about library programs and the Orange Beach Public Library visit the library’s website at www.orangebeachlibrary.org or call 251-981-2923. The library is open Monday, Tuesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturdays 9 a.m. until 3 p.m.