Kutztown Community Library awarded federal American Rescue Plan grant
$10,000 grant supports library’s Beyond Kutztown series focused on diversity
The Kutztown Community Library has been selected as one of 200 libraries nationwide for the American Library Association’s American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries, an emergency relief program to assist libraries that have been adversely affected by the pandemic.
“Libraries have faced significant hardships throughout the pandemic — from budget cuts to staff furloughs to building closures — especially in our communities of the greatest need,” said American Library Association President Patty Wong. “This crucial support from NEH will enable our beloved institutions, and the dedicated people who run them, to rebuild and emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever.”
American Rescue Plan: Humanities Grants for Libraries is an initiative of the American Library Association made possible with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The participating libraries represent 45 states and Puerto Rico and are located in small towns to large cities. Libraries were chosen with an emphasis on reaching historically underserved and/or rural communities.
Kutztown Community Library was among the recipients of the $10,000 grant to support its Beyond Kutztown program which includes a StoryWalk that will be installed in the Kutztown Community Park.
“We are so proud to be chosen for this amazing opportunity,” said Kutztown Library Director Janet Yost in a release. “This grant will allow our library to better serve our patrons and plan strong, enriching humanities programming as we come out of the pandemic.”
Beyond Kutztown is a yearlong humanities series embracing the diversity that is found in and beyond Kutztown’s borders. Monthly themes will feature an underrepresented nationality, race, religion, or identity. The series will incorporate programs, guest speakers, book discussions, craft activities, story times, Passport to Unity kits, and a StoryWalk.
The library is respectively creating a stronger sense of community while gaining a better understanding of various lifestyles, faiths, and holidays, Yost explained in the release.
Many Beyond Kutztown activities such as the Passport to Unity boxes are family-oriented. Others target specific age groups, from young to old. The StoryWalk is a display of children’s picture books installed along a path promoting literacy, reading, health, exercise, and movement. Caregivers and kids learn and share as they travel through the storybook. The Borough of Kutztown will set up the StoryWalk in Kutztown Community Park.
The Beyond Kutztown inaugural month delved into Judaism. A holocaust survivor spoke on his experiences and answered questions. A group discussed “The Zookeeper’s Wife” by Diane Ackerman. Patrons painted a faux stained glass window based on a synagogue in Australia. Families explored Judaism through the Passport to Unity kit. Youth discussed the “Diary of Anne Frank” and her hiding place.
Future months have a similar format. Anticipated highlights include Bollywood dancers, a performance by the Philadelphia Chinese Opera Society, a workshop on implicit bias with an acclaimed poet and activist, and a forum for allies of the LGBTQ community.
The Kutztown Community Library is located at 70 Bieber Alley in Kutztown and can be reached at 610683-5820. Sign up for the newsletter at kutztownlibrary.org to learn about future programs.