WebJunction, a program of OCLC Research, has received a $249,710 National Leadership Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) for the two-year project, 'Small Libraries Create Smart Spaces.'
In partnership with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries, WebJunction will guide and support small and rural public libraries as they reimagine and reconfigure library space to support socially engaging and active learning programming that addresses a defined community need.
The project aims to foster social connection among people to form strong communities; create library spaces that provide active learning that encourages exploration and play; better prepare small libraries to quickly adapt the use of their physical space in response to evolving community needs and interests; and magnify libraries' key role in providing learning outside of the formal classroom, for all ages.
Participating libraries will be introduced to the principles of placemaking, community engagement and human-centered space design. After conducting community input, action planning and prototype activities, the libraries will implement a learning space using a starter set of materials.
The grant was awarded through the first cycle of the IMLS National Leadership Grants for Libraries program, which supports projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and that have the potential to advance library and archival practice with new tools, research findings, models, services or alliances that can be widely replicated. More than $31 million was requested, and $6,339,441 was awarded for 20 projects.
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