The Craig Public Library, on Prince of Wales Island, was awarded a $20,000 grant to improve library programs and services for people with disabilities.
The grant came from the American Library Association. Small, rural libraries around the country competed for its Libraries Transforming Communities grant. As of last year, over 650 libraries, including four in Alaska, have been awarded this grant.
Craig library director Stephanie Merritt said the funding will help make their parking lot more accessible to people with disabilities.
“We’re hoping to improve the three designated library spots with some grading and stabilization,” Merritt said. “We’ve had some issues where our parking lot is kind of eroding away, so we’re hoping to stop that and install striping and signage so it’s clear which is the ADA compliant parking spot.”
ADA is the Americans with Disabilities Act. Merritt said the funding will help better connect people without internet access to library services. She says that could mean purchasing portable CD players or digital audiobook devices.
It’s not the first time the Craig library has received this grant. In 2023, it was awarded $10,000 to help homebound seniors access e-books and audiobooks. It also helped pay for tablets and book stands for those in need.
But Merritt said this year’s grant is the largest competitive grant the library has seen since she took over as executive director three years ago. She’s hoping that the funding can help the library work with transit organizations across the island to deliver resources to people who have difficulty leaving their homes.
“I’m looking forward to removing those barriers,” Merritt said. “I think that it’ll be important.”
Merritt said once the funds are dispersed, the library will have a year to carry out the projects.
Hunter Morrison is a Report for America corps member for KRBD. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep him writing stories like this one. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution.
