The Lackawanna County Library System (LCLS) has been awarded a $72,000 grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries, to upgrade technology for use by patrons and staff. The grant proceeds will be used to replace 55 public computers and 29 staff computers.
The seven member libraries and three branch libraries of the county system currently have 154 public computers and 150 staff computers. It is notable that in 2021, a year when many people avoided public spaces during the pandemic and when many county libraries had reduced hours and services, the library system’s public computers were, nevertheless, used nearly 35,000 times. The grant will provide up-to-date computers at all libraries in Lackawanna County.
“Most mornings, as our libraries open, there are lines of people waiting to reserve a computer for personal or professional use,” says Mary Garm, LCLS Executive Director. “Public computers are vital to many people who do not have access to such equipment at home.”
The grant will also allow us to purchase new laptops and desktop computers to aid staff members as they work in-house and remotely. The new additions will help to drive library services out into the community for programs and events. Many of the library system’s staff members have had to rely on personal devices or repurposed equipment in order to work remotely.
The new technology will allow the library system to modernize services and reach new parts of the community. It will also improve the experience of patrons who depend on the library for access to computers and the internet.
This project is made possible by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Office of Commonwealth Libraries.