Libraries: Beyond The Books
When I was nine years old, the library was my favorite place in the whole wide world. There were so many books to read, stories to explore, mystical lands to visit, and it was all accessible to me. The library was the place that I went to every single Friday, and sometimes more often than that to pick up books that I had put on hold for me or my mother. I always ended up leaving with an overly heavy bag of books.
My favorite librarian, who was named Bridget, even allowed me to help with re-shelving the books, which made me feel like I was giving back to the community. That’s the thing, libraries often double as community spaces, offering programs for kid’s, adults and seniors. Those programs can include reading groups, classes in basic computer skills, as well as (in the case of my current favorite library in West Palm Beach), fun exercise classes.
There is some good news for the furthering of library missions around the country. Google has awarded eleven libraries across Idaho with workforce development grants aimed at helping the community. This is being called Libraries Lead with Digital Skills and is an initiative of the American Library Association and The Public Library Association and is sponsored by Grow with Google.
The 1K grant can be used for libraries to continue and even expand current programs related to workforce development. This could include preparing library and community members with essential skills for jobs, interview training, and more. It could also help business owners to learn new things in regard to expanding the possibilities of their businesses.
In addition to this funding, the libraries selected will also receive a host of other benefits. These eleven libraries will also receive marketing support, advocacy tools, and a community of practice. All of this is aimed at bringing more attention to the services that libraries offer. GrantWatch is a resource that has always helped organizations with economic development and workforce development and is filled with useful grants in both of these areas.
Authored by: Lianne Hikind
About GrantWatch
A trusted resource since 2010. For more than 16 years, GrantWatch has helped nonprofits, small businesses, schools, government agencies, and individuals discover funding opportunities and navigate the grant process with confidence. Thousands of organizations rely on GrantWatch's extensive database of verified grants and funding resources to identify opportunities and secure support for meaningful projects.
Today, GrantWatch supports organizations across the full grant lifecycle through a single, streamlined platform. In addition to access to more than 11,000 active, verified, and human-curated grant opportunities, the platform includes a centralized Dashboard that serves as the command center for the GrantWatch Full Grant Lifecycle Platform, giving users a centralized view of opportunities, deadlines, research, and workflow activity across the 12-stage Grant Pipeline. Users also benefit from integrated tools including the AI Grant Finder, AI Grant Writing Tool, My Grant Calendar, Grant Alerts, Foundation Search, and Awarded Grant Search, helping move funding efforts from discovery to award and measurable impact.
GrantWatch, founded by Libby Hikind, is the author of The Queen of Grants series, including The Queen of Grants series: The Queen of Grants: From Teacher to Grant Writer to CEO and The Queen of Grants 2: GrantTalk Secrets for the New Era of Writing. Drawing on decades of experience in the grants industry, GrantWatch was created to simplify how organizations discover, evaluate, and pursue funding opportunities.
