The Nashua Public Library is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $10,805 in funding through the Institute for Museum and Library Services’ Grants to States program. The program is part of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and is being facilitated by the New Hampshire State Library.

The Nashua Public Library will use this grant for staff training, equipment, and supplies to bring some of its core library services out of the building and into city neighborhoods.

For example, the library will buy equipment to expand pop-up libraries out in the community and bring Play & Learn workshops to the site of a partner agency. The funds will also pay for training Kat Gatcomb, the library’s new supervisor of youth services, in the Family Place Libraries service model.

“These funds will benefit families and individuals in low-income neighborhoods, who may have difficulty getting to the library, by bringing library services to them,” said Library Director Jen McCormack. “Our goal is to help their children succeed in school and to encourage a commitment to reading and learning for people of all ages.”

The plan is to hold the pop-up libraries and Play & Learn workshops in the spring and summer of 2022.

A public hearing will be held about this grant award  at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday,  Feb. 1, immediately preceding the regular Library Board of Trustees meeting.