The American Library Association (ALA) has announced the allocation of $10,000 Building Library Capacity Grants to 16 libraries nationwide, aimed at enhancing services for New Americans, including immigrants and refugees. These grants are part of a three-year initiative funded by the Mellon Foundation, focusing on different segments of the library community each year.
The purpose of these grants is to support library operations and services such as literacy development, collection enhancement, staffing, outreach expansion, and both maintaining and introducing service strategies that can make a significant impact.
Public libraries in the United States have historically played a crucial role in providing resources and education for New Americans. They offer English language lessons, workforce skill development classes, civics sessions, citizenship information, and books in various languages relevant to their communities.
In Prince William County, nearly 42% of residents speak a language other than English at home. The most common among these is Spanish. With this grant from ALA, Prince William Public Libraries (PWPL) plans to introduce new bilingual Spanish-English programs based on existing successful initiatives like Story Time and Music and Movement for preschoolers. These programs will be available across its 12 branches.
“The American Library Association is committed to library access for everyone, especially for those who are new to our country. These grants directly contribute to our mission,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. She also expressed gratitude towards the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation for its support in assisting under-resourced libraries serving underserved or marginalized communities.
A comprehensive list of grantees is available on the ALA website.
Prince William Public Libraries operates 12 branches throughout Prince William County and Manassas City. It provides free access to various media formats along with educational programs suitable for all ages.
For more information about ALA or PWPL’s initiatives or media inquiries contact Rachel Johnson at [email protected]
