Durham County Library Awarded Federal Grant

Durham County Library and Digital Durham are pleased to announce the award of a $20,742 federal grant distributed by the State Library of North Carolina (SLNC) for a Digital Navigator pilot program to aid in bridging the digital divide in Durham. These federal funds represent an investment in libraries’ capacity to deliver relevant and up-to-date services to their communities. At Durham County Library, the SLNC Adapts Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant supports increased access to digital resources. Digital navigators in the program will help patrons find affordable devices, access low-cost internet resources, and learn gateway digital literacy skills in one-on-one appointments. These appointments are available as both virtual and socially distanced sessions. This pilot began at Durham County’s Main Library location on March 1, 2022.

Durham County Library received one of 45 competitive SLNC Adapts grants through the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 122,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The Institute’s mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect people to information and ideas. The LSTA Grant received by Durham County Library is one way the IMLS supports libraries throughout the nation. To learn more about the Institute, please visit the IMLS web page. For more information about North Carolina’s LSTA program visit the State Library of North Carolina’s LSTA web page or contact the State Library’s Federal Programs Consultant at 919-814-6796.

Durham County Library encourages discovery, connects the community, and leads in literacy. As a department of Durham County Government, the library furthers Goal 1 of the county’s Strategic Plan by enhancing cultural, educational, and creative opportunities. For more information about the library, visit DurhamCountyLibrary.org.

This pilot program is supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-250229-OLS-21).