Homer Township Library Receives $60K Grant From State

HOMER GLEN, IL — Library districts throughout the 19th Senate District will receive over $419,000 in grant funding to help ensure all residents have access to quality resources and programming, Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Alexi Giannoulias announced.

In Homer Township, the Homer Township Public Library will receive $60,527 in grant funding, according to a release.

“Libraries throughout the state must have the resources and financial support they need to provide high-quality materials and programming to Illinois residents,” Giannoulias said in a release. “Libraries serve as centers for lifelong learning and are critical to providing opportunities for children and adults to enrich their lives.”

"Our residents deserve access to the best library materials and programming available and providing these grants will ensure just that,” said State Representative Patrick Sheehan who represents the Lockport area. “With these grants, our local libraries will be able to purchase new books and technology while increasing accessibility. I am thrilled that the people of the 37th District, especially our younger residents, will be better equipped to grow and learn thanks to these new grants."

The grants, awarded throughout Illinois, included annual per capita and equalization aid grant funding, public library construction grants and one-time newly created technology grants to help libraries most in need to upgrade their technology infrastructure, a release states

Public Library Per Capita Grants are awarded annually to support local public library services. This year, public libraries received just under $1.50 per person in their service area, according to a release. Public libraries can use this funding for operational needs, including purchasing materials for their library collections and capital improvements to their facilities.

Homer Library Director Alexandra Annen said the per capita grant is "one essential way that assists us to continue to meet the Illinois Public Library Standards adopted by the Illinois Library System and serve our community well."

Annen said material purchases will continue for youth, teens and adults, as well as programming.

Equalization Aid funding is awarded under a statutory formula to provide a minimum level of funding when local funding through taxes is too low to meet the service population’s base needs, a release states.

Public Library Construction Grant funding allows libraries to address refurbishing and renovation of existing facilities; assure compliance with accessibility standards; and even build new facilities.

Under the new technology grant initiative, eligible public libraries were determined by review of their local tax base in comparison to the population that is served and also the poverty level of the community, according to a release. Libraries have two years to expend the technology grants.