Kewaunee Public Library receives grant to improve library access

$20,000 grant will help the library work with residents with disabilities to better access library facilities

​Kewaunee Public Library has been selected as one of 310 libraries to participate in round two of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities. 

The competitive award comes with a $20,000 grant that will help the library improve accessibility to their building through improved automatic front doors and updates to their bathroom facilities.  

“We are so proud to be chosen for this amazing opportunity,” said Library Director Carol Petrina. “This grant will allow our library to better serve our residents with disabilities. It will make our building easier to access and ensure this population feels welcome and comfortable in our space.” 

As part of the grant, Kewaunee Public Library staff will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will then host a community conversation with residents about what makes a building aging and disability friendly and use the grant funds to create a more welcoming building that is easier to access and use. In working with the Kewaunee County Aging-Friendly coalition, the library identified the connection between quality of life and the need for accessible spaces.   

If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact the Kewaunee Public Library at (920) 388-5015 or visit www.kewauneepubliclibrary.org for more information.

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Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff. 

“Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).” ​