Discussion and possible action to: (a) authorize the City Manager to accept five grants totaling $43,443 from the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the State Library, for various new and continued library services and collection expansion for additional education efforts; and (b) approve a budget amendment in the amount of $43,443 from the Proposed Grants Contingency account to the various Library Services and Technology Act grant accounts.

The Peoria Public Library requests to accept funding provided by the Arizona State Library for $43,443. Funding provided is for the five grants detailed below.

Pedal Express: Funding for $16,167 to support a new mobile outreach, information access and programming service for the Peoria Public Library System via a personalized Haley Bicycle Trike. We are “shifting gears” and going where the people are to share the love of reading and support life-long learning. Our plan is to equip this bike as a “mini Library on wheels” with an opening day collection of materials, outreach supplies and technology to connect with the library’s computer system to register new library cards and help with downloading eMaterials. Staff anticipates visiting at least four to six different community sites over the course of next year, eventually doubling the sites as the year progresses.

"StoryWalks": Funding for $15,276 to pilot StoryWalks at two of Peoria’s larger parks. Community members will benefit because StoryWalks are fun, education activities that promote reading, literacy, and physical activity all while utilizing a city park facility, and encouraging participants to visit their local library for more programs and services. StoryWalks creates an interactive opportunity to read a book, do a few suggested activities from the book (hop, skip, jump, etc.) while taking advantage of a park’s nature trail. Families share the reading experience outside the library during all open park hours. It is a new way to draw the community to our parks and, hopefully, to the library that provided this reading experience outside the library during all open park hours. It is a new way to draw the community to our parks and, hopefully, to the library that provided this reading experience. Incentives are also available to increase participation and visits to the library. 

Refocus and Recharge (Professional Development): Funding for $4,000 to deliver top-quality training and provide resources for the Library’s all-staff development day in October 2021. This year the Library chose a proven speaker on the topic of change management.

Kids and Biographies: Funding of $4,000 in Collection and Programming (CAP) to refresh and update the Juvenile Biography collection at the Main Library to more current, relevant and diverse individuals of history.

Wi-Fi on the Fly Hotspot Lending Program: For the fourth year in a row, funding for $4,000 in the Wi-Fi Hotspot Lending Grants sub grant area will continue the support of the Library System’s very popular “Wi-Fi on the Fly” service at both its library sites. “WiFi on the Fly” provides library patrons with free, 24/7 access to the Internet, especially in community areas with limited Internet availability, to help people meet their information needs in new ways.

Authorize the City Manager to accept the five grant awards totaling $43,443 from the Arizona State Library, Archives & Public Records office and approve the budget adjustment for $43,443 from the Proposed Grants Contingency Account to the Library’s LSTA grant accounts.

Request a budget amendment of $43,443 from the Proposed Grant Contingency account (7990-7990-570000) to the Library Services and Technology Grant Account (7280-7350-various) as follows: