2024-2025 Outreach Mini-Grant Recipients Announced
Thank you to everyone who applied for our 2024-2025 Outreach Mini-Grant cycle! We had 16 applicants and our COSAC team selected 14 recipients! We will be funding the following projects:
Apalachin Library
Project: Senior Sampler
The Senior Sampler is a six-month pilot program that provides area seniors with the opportunity to experience six unique programs, with the goal of providing a permanent program in 2025 that more specifically meets the needs of this group. The program, which will be held from 11am to 1pm on the first Friday of each month, will feature trivia from the 1950s and 1960s; Bingo and assorted games; a classic movie screening; an art class by art educator and creative aging practitioner Christina Muscatello; pumpkin painting (on both artificial pumpkins and two-dimensional wood pumpkins to accommodate various dexterity needs); and a ukulele concert by the Tioga Ukulele Group. It will impact the individuals served by providing a consistent place to engage in social activities, increase quality of life, and help to delay or prevent the onset of cognitive decline due to aging.
Awarded: $621
Seymour Public Library District – Auburn
Project: Increasing Diversity of Collections and Programs with Enhanced Language Resources
The project will increase the diversity of our collections and programming by further enhancing our language resources. It will provide our community with access to adult fiction materials in Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and Ukrainian as well as Spanish materials for youth and teens. We will also offer introductory Spanish classes and an ASL storytime.
Awarded: $1,700
Candor Free Library
Project: Introducing DEI as part of Early Literacy Play
Multi-ethnic puppets and soft toys featuring children, community “helper” adults, families, and children of differing abilities will be made available to all of our patrons as well as to the children that attend our weekly Story Hour. This will be done to assist in initiating and encouraging discussions relevant to diversity, equity, and inclusion and to make all members of our community feel included at the library.
Awarded: $464
Groton Public Library
Project: Gentle Rejuvenation for Elders
The Gentle Rejuvenation for Elders–Learn easy ways to care for you! at the Groton Public Library will occur during late summer and early fall of 2024. This
series of classes is specifically for our older population, to give them the skills to rejuvenate, restore, and revitalize themselves and others in their lives. These
short classes will have easy, teachable skills that each participant will leave knowing. And each participant will receive free relatable books.
Awarded: $800
Phillips Free Library – Homer
Project: Sweet sixty (and up!)
The Sweet Sixty (and up!) program is a social event for seniors to connect with other community members. They will have a carefree, fun afternoon with a craft, baking, possibly games, and a book talk. The second hour of the program will be live music for all who wish to enjoy it. The staff will offer in-person help with electronic devices and library services, and encourage the participants to come back for this if they prefer to participate in the activities during the program. We will offer the Dial-a Ride service for all seniors who wish to return to the library in between the program sessions.
Awarded: $890
Peck Memorial Library – Marathon
Project: Adventure Begins at Your Library 2024
Peck Memorial Library will be partnering with the village of Marathon to supply the children in the Marathon school district with activities and programs during the
summer reading program. This gives us an opportunity to serve people who may not visit our library yet.
Awarded: $1,073
Lamont Memorial Free Library – McGraw
Project: Senior Social Supplementary Programs
We at the Lamont Memorial Free Library plan to create an opportunity and place for the Seniors of our community to cultivate new skills, create art, enjoy provided entertainment, and form bonding relationships through new experiences. By hosting a variety of talents, spanning a variety of interests, and suitable for a variety of individuals, we expect those in attendance will greatly benefit from the use of the funds allocated through this grant.
Awarded: $1,130
Powers Library – Moravia
Project: Access to Innovative Technology
Powers Library Access to Innovative Technology-Offering our youth a creative way to explore and build social skills using cutting edge materials. Area teens
will rediscover the library as a place where they can explore more than the bookshelves; it’s a place they can express themselves with hands on opportunities.
Awarded: $1,328
Tappan-Spaulding Memorial Library – Newark Valley
Project: LEGO Club
LEGO Club is an enrichment program offered by the Tappan-Spaulding Memorial Library to engage children grades K-7 in activities related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics. We offer a local monthly event that gives our children the opportunity to experiment and explore S.T.E.A.M. subjects through the fun of LEGOs.
Awarded: $500
George P. & Susan Platt Cady Library – Nichols
Project: 3D Printing Comes to Cady
3D printing has become one of the newest tech skills that people everywhere are pursuing. But it can also be quite intimidating to go it alone- so don’t! This outreach project will teach patrons at the Cady Library the basic ins-and-outs of 3D printing, while having them learn through doing on one of the most impressive 3D printers out there today.
Awarded: $1,724
Coburn Free Library – Owego
Project: Evergreen Cemetery Kids Adventure Backpacks
In collaboration with the Friends of the Evergreen Cemetery the Coburn Free Library presents the Evergreen Cemetery Kids Adventure Backpacks. Four backpacks each containing a map, grave I.D. cards, a compass, a how to use a compass book, and binoculars will be available to check out to take patrons on a scavenger hunt for the graves of the notable men and women in Owego’s rich history. The aim of this project is to provide a fun and educational alternative to expensive traditional summer activities, such as visiting a museum or an amusement park, for the low-income families and at-risk youth in our community. This project further works to highlight local history and spark an interest in children in order to promote the Coburn Free Library’s mission to create life-long learners.
Awarded: $250
Port Byron Library
Project: Adventure Passes at Your Library
Adventure Passes at Your Library offers families and individuals in need, access to the educational and recreational experiences within their immediate community.
Children and adults will be able to enjoy time with each other in a fun and educational way, with ease of access right at their library. Experiencing these types of adventures will not only improve their quality of life, but will also allow our community members to fill a need they would otherwise be unable to fill.
Awarded: $555
Waterloo Library & Historical Society
Project: Integrated Crafts
The Waterloo Library & Historical Society will be providing take and make crafts and art kits for the residents of group homes, seniors and living facilities. Take and make kits may include painting, vinyl, and wood projects, sewing, and other creative arts and crafts, complete with easy-to-follow instructions. Participation in this program is strictly through registration.
Awarded: $2,000
Waverly Free Library
Project: Diversity of Languages in Collection Development
The goal of this project is to provide opportunities for increased cultural awareness and learning a second language, including programming and materials, to people who are geographically isolated. Geographic isolation is evident with many individuals and families walking to the library, no cities within walking distance, and minimal opportunities for cultural awareness. After successfully learning American Sign Language (ASL) during story times and attending a summer French course, our patrons in the target population have expressed a desire for books and programming to assist them in continuing to learn cultural awareness and a new language. Additional programming will offer opportunities to practice pronunciation and conversational skills, essential in learning languages for conversational purposes. Staff at the library can provide this programming as Becky studied three semesters of ASL in college and Jae studied French for four years in high school, Spanish for one year in high school, and French for two semesters in college.
Awarded: $2,000
Information about the Outreach Mini Grant
The review team is made up of our 6 member Coordinated Outreach Services Advisory Council (COSAC). The role of COSAC is to advise the Finger Lakes Library System’s Outreach Department, assist in the evaluations of its coordinated outreach activities, and to promote collaborative efforts and partnerships. The Council is comprised of a mix of library staff and representatives from local human service agencies and institutions who serve our targeted outreach populations. We are always looking for new members. Please contact Jenny Shonk at jshonk@flls.org for more information on joining the council.
Funding was made possible for these grants through the New York State Library’s Coordinated Outreach Services Program. Under New York State Education Law, §273 (1) (h) (1), and Commissioner’s Regulations §90.3, Public Library Systems provide Coordinated Outreach Library Services directly and through their member libraries to New Yorkers who are most in need and who often are not regular library users. More information about the program can be found at www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/outreach.