Bilingual Outreach and Disaster Planning Funded by Illinois State Library

Rockford Public Library is the recipient of two LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) grants awarded by the Illinois State Library totaling $7,500. The grants will assist RPL in developing bilingual outreach efforts and creating a comprehensive disaster plan.

“La Biblioteca es para Usted” received $3,000 under the LSTA Bridging the Gap Between Communities and Collections grant and seeks to address the needs of Rockford’s growing Latino population. The Library will purchase additional Spanish language non-fiction materials to connect Latino users with books and videos for hobbyists of every interest. To call attention to the new collection, RPL will also host three bilingual programs with community partners on topics such as car restoration and customization, cooking and gardening.

“An Ounce of Prevention” received $4,500 under the LSTA Train the Trainer grant to create a comprehensive disaster plan and train staff on implementation in the event of a disaster. The new plan will anticipate natural disasters, man-made disasters and detail steps for recovery and resuming key functions in a timely manner.

“We are extremely appreciative of the support we have received from the Illinois State Library,” said Frank Novak, Executive Director of Rockford Public Library. “These grants make special projects possible that we would otherwise be unable to fund through our operating budget.”

Funding for these grants was awarded by the Illinois State Library (ISL), a Division of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), under the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

About the Library

The Rockford Public Library, founded in 1872 as the second library in Illinois, currently has six facilities, including the Main Library and five Branch Libraries. The Rockford Public Library’s mission is to enhance community life and development by informing, educating, entertaining, and providing cultural enrichment to all people of all ages by collecting information to address the diverse interests of our dynamic community.

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