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Cumberland County Public Library has been selected as one of 300 libraries across the country to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities: Focus on Small and Rural Libraries, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that helps library workers better serve their small and rural communities.

The competitive award comes with a $3,000 grant that will help the library work with local, area, state and federal partners to identify resources available to Cumberland County residents who need assistance.

“We are so proud to be chosen for this amazing opportunity,” Library Director Lisa Davis said. “This grant will allow the library to serve our residents better when they need help. The Help4OurOwn project will bring together in one place as many of the services and resources that can be located with the aid of our partners.”

As part of the grant, Davis took an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. The library will host hybrid conversations with local, area, state and federal agencies, organizations and individuals where the topic will be to identify services and resources available for helping struggling residents regardless of demographic. Once the in-person and virtual conversations are complete, copies of the information gathered will be distributed to the community partners for later use with their constituents and also made available to those with online access.

“Because of the pandemic and its resulting shutdowns, many local residents have had a hard time. Even as things improve, the effects of the last year will continue to have an impact. If we can help our patrons find the assistance they need, then our project will be successful,” Davis said.

Anyone interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversations, may contact Lisa Davis at (804) 492-5807 or visit www.cumberlandcountypubliclibrary.org for more information.