SPRINGFIELD –– Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White has awarded emergency Library Disaster Aid grants to libraries in Oakland, Matteson, Amboy and Thomson.
White said each library will receive $4,900, and the funds may be used for the purchase of materials or equipment. Library Disaster Aid grants are awarded through the Illinois State Library using federal Library Services and Technology Act funds. The grants provide immediate, short-term funding for public, school, academic or special libraries that encounter exceptional and overwhelming emergencies due to disasters such as fire or flooding. Grants are awarded based on evidence of a credible need.
White said the libraries receiving $4,900 Disaster Aid grants are:
- Lake Crest Elementary School in Oakland School District # 5. The school library suffered rainwater damage and a ceiling fell in last September.
- The Matteson Public Library suffered smoke damage from a fire in January, 2001.
- The Pankhurst Memorial Public Library in Amboy was robbed in March, 2001.
- The York Township Public Library in Thomson suffered serious damage when a sewer backed up in February, 2001.
"When an unforeseen disaster strikes one of our libraries, most of them do not have the financial resources to address the serious consequences caused by the disaster," White said. "Our libraries operate on tight budgets, and something like a flood or fire can have major repercussions on a library's operations.
"My office sets aside money each year to help libraries deal with such unforeseen incidents. In the past, funds have been used to deal with the aftermath of disasters ranging from floods to fires to tornadoes. Disaster aid grants go a long way toward ensuring that important services to library patrons are not disrupted for any great length of time."
