CCRLD receives $20,000 grant

DAYTON—The Columbia County Rural Library District in Dayton, WA, has been awarded a grant for $20,000 from the American Library Association (ALA) COVID Library Relief Fund, one of 77 grants awarded to libraries that continue to experience substantial economic hardship due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund awards grants to academic, correctional, public, school, and tribal libraries from 32 states and Puerto Rico. The ALA COVID Library Relief Fund is one of the largest non-federal grants available to libraries.

Columbia County Library will use the funds to offset some of the budget cuts on the purchase of books, videos, and other physical materials. Funds will also go towards expanding technology resources available to the public, the purchase of craft materials for the “Take and Make” program, and covering costs of the monthly “Family Story Time,” including meals for families and books to be given to each child in attendance.

“On behalf of the library’s staff, patrons, supporters, and Board of Trustees, I want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the ALA for this grant award,” said Todd Vandenbark, CCRLD Director.