By Dawn Bostwick
Nassau County Library Director
December 17, 2021
Once again it is the season for gifting! This year the Nassau County Public Library has received an ARPA grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. A grant of $100,027 to upgrade several areas of library service.
First on the list is to upgrade the network of all five library branches. After installation, all five libraries will have fiber lines to access the internet. With four 50 mg fiber lines and one 100 mg fiber line, sluggish connections will be no more! Upload of documents such as online job applications and financial assistance forms will be smooth and quick. Included in this package is static IP addresses which will greatly reduce down time of our third-party software offerings, such as Ancestry Library Edition (ALE) and the content in the online catalog. The Library will receive managed routers, updated as needed, that reduce budget costs and the staff time required to manage the network and a guaranteed maintenance window.
Another upgrade with this grant is the replacement and upgrade of the Library System’s AWE computers. These AWEsome children’s computers offer several hundred educational games in the areas of: math, science and nature, social studies and geography, reading, writing and computers skills, reference materials and music. The new hardware will still feature color coded keyboards and a small mouse, the perfect size for a child’s small hand, but they will also be bilingual English and Spanish, and include new learning games. The funds will allow the Library to replace all existing nine work stations; and in addition add six tablets. The tablets can be used anywhere in the Library. We find adults enjoy these literacy stations as much as children!
Finally, the funds granted will allow the Library to purchase 250 new non-fiction titles, to add to the virtual cloudLibrary collection. We will be asking all residents to participate in surveys to let staff know what new materials we should add to the collection.
Look for these new services, and more, Coming in 2022! This project is funded 100% under the provisions of the DLIS Florida American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Florida’s DLIS Florida ARPA program is administered by the Department of State’s Division of Library and Information Services.
Do you need a library card? You can get yours online! Visit the Library’s website at www.nassaureads.com. Need help? Or more information? Contact your Public Library at 904-530-6500.