Safford City-Graham County Library awarded LSTA Grant

Jon Johnson File Photo/Gila Herald

Contributed Article/Courtesy Lesley Talley

Safford – The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, has awarded a $4,000 grant to the Safford City-Graham County Library to update and expand their Junior Fiction and Junior Non-Fiction collection.

“This grant will allow us to support our elementary and middle school-aged community by providing books that help strengthen their vocabulary, build reading confidence and foster a love of reading,” said Library Supervisor Lesley Talley.

These funds will be used to purchase a selection of Non-fiction and Fiction titles in both traditional and graphic format, allowing the library to serve the needs of a wide variety of readers. This upgrade in the collection will provide access to quality information in engaging formats.

In 2019, the Arizona State Library received about $3.4 million under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), which is administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Arizona libraries received $678,175 awarded on a competitive basis. The remaining funds are used to support statewide services, including family literacy and reading programs, electronic databases, digital government initiatives, continuing education classes, and other programs.

“These subgrants allow libraries to go above and beyond in their communities,” said Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. “These projects will increase access to information and education for Arizonans. They support institutional improvements and help form inclusive communities. ”