Warren Branch Library has been selected as one of 100 libraries to participate in round three of Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that helps library workers better serve their small and rural communities.
The competitive award comes with a $3,000 grant that will help the library to continue its community engagement effort of focusing on the needs of the homeless groups. While trying to find solutions of how to better serve these groups, the library will continue to bring about more recognition to the community about the homeless issues Bradley County is facing and continue providing the necessary resources.
“We are so proud to be chosen for this amazing opportunity,” said Branch Manager Sandy Doss. “This grant will allow our library to partner with the Ministerial Alliance of Bradley County to better serve the needs of the homeless groups, get to know our residents better, and help us build a happier and healthier community for our families.”
As part of the grant, Warren Branch Library staff will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will then host a conversation with residents about Homeless Care Blessing Bags/Backpacks and use the grant funds to purchase backpacks filled with items to help meet the needs of the homeless groups.
Warren Branch Library has been seeing an increasing number of struggling individuals in our area due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the decline of available resources. This grant along with the community conversation will give us an opportunity to build on what resources are available within our community, expand by creating Homeless Care Blessing Bags/Backpacks, and discuss the best way to make them available to the homeless groups.
If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Sandy Doss at 870-226-2536, or visit https://www.facebook.com/WarrenBranchLibraryLovesReading for more information.
Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees, and staff.
“Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).”