GOFFSTOWN, NH – The Goffstown Public Library has been awarded $28,080 in funding through the Institute for Museum and Library Services “Grants to States” program. The grant program is part of the American Rescue Act Plan of 2021 and is being facilitated by NH State Library, which received $2,297,692 for this grant, according to its website.
The Goffstown Public Library will use this grant award to purchase mobile shelving for the children’s library and the second-floor south room. This new shelving will give library staff the ability to rearrange space for programs and events while providing additional shelving capacity.
In the grant application, the Goffstown Public Library staff detailed that it would use grant funds to address challenging space needs in a 112-year-old building that is over capacity. The goal is for more flexible space and shelving options to address some of the demands of a 21st-century library.
“We are so grateful to be awarded these ARPA funds and look forward to having the ability to transform our floorplan. During the pandemic we learned we must have the potential to pivot quickly and efficiently, and this grant will help us accomplish that in our historic building”, said Dianne Hathaway, Library Director.
“New Hampshire’s strong relationship with its public libraries was made even more evident during the past two years, when librarians and their staffs were able to adjust services nimbly in order to continue to meet the needs of their communities,” said N.H. State Librarian Michael York. “The innovative programs funded by these grants will continue to strengthen not only public library services, but also the communities in which the libraries reside.”
“As pillars of our communities, libraries and museums bring people together by providing important programs, services and collections. These institutions are trusted spaces where people can learn, explore and grow,” said IMLS Director Crosby Kemper. “IMLS is proud to support their initiatives through our grants as they educate and enhance their communities.”
The Goffstown Public Library’s goal is to have the project up and running in May 2022.
Part of the NH Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, the NH State Library promotes excellence in libraries and library services to all New Hampshire residents, by assisting libraries and the people of New Hampshire with rapid access to library and informational resources through the development and coordination of a statewide library/information system; by meeting the informational needs of New Hampshire’s state, county and municipal governments and its libraries; and by serving as a resource for New Hampshire. For more information, visit nh.gov/nhsl.
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. We advance, support, and empower America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. Our vision is a nation where museums and libraries work together to transform the lives of individuals and communities. To learn more, visit www.imls.gov and follow IMLS on Facebook and Twitter.
