[OPLINLIST] State Library of Ohio awards $76, 285 in IMLS Special LSTA Growing Community Grants

Wed Apr 21 10:10:00 EDT 2010

Please excuse multiple postings...

The State Library of Ohio is pleased to announce that the State Library
Board recently awarded $76,285 in IMLS Special LSTA Growing Community
Grants to the following libraries.

Andover Public Library,  $7,386 for the Library Learning Garden. The
project has support from numerous social, business, and government
organizations.  The Rotary Club will provide matching funds and the
Andover Eagle Scout candidates will assemble fencing and benches as part
of their final projects.  The garden will be used for Summer Reading
activities.  Programs are planned around composing healthy meals and
recycling rain water among others.  The food that is grown will be given
to the Community Care and Church food distribution group.  Although the
grant will not officially have started by National Library Week, the
Andover Library has adopted the slogan "Growing Your Community" as its
theme and will be giving away seeds (not affiliated with the grant
request). 

Champaign County Library, $3,238 for the Gathering Garden.  The project
will support the community's forthcoming Market Street Community Garden
by gathering stories from residents about gardening and by providing
library materials and educational programs.  This is a collaborative
project of the three libraries in Champaign County (Urbana, St. Paris
and Mechanicsburg) as well as the County Master Gardeners and OSU
Extension.  The libraries will support the community gardens through
materials and programming and programs of the Summer Reading Program
will help children learn about gardening.  ICON video will record garden
techniques as well as residents sharing gardening stories.  These will
be made available as video segments.  Also, a Gathering Garden community
newspaper will be published.

Chillicothe and Ross County Library, $3,750 to focus on improving
nutrition through sustainable and organic vegetable gardening.  Partners
include the Chillicothe Garden Club and the Zane Trace High School
Future Farmers of America Club.  This project dovetails with the
Library's worksite wellness program which received a Healthy Workshop
Bronze Award from the Ohio Dept. of Health.  Youth programming will tie
into the Summer Reading Theme.  Adult programming will focus on health
and wellness and/or organic gardening themes.  Post-survey tests will
indicate whether program attendees have increased their knowledge of the
benefits of fruits and vegetables for a healthy lifestyle.    Food will
be donated to the area food panty and community center. 

Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library, $5,600 to expand
the "Take Some and Leave Some" project begun last year. The library
hopes to involve more people in learning about and practicing community
gardening and then spreading the bounty to touch the lives of local
residents.  Foods grown will be shared through Take and Share tables
(where residents can leave produce they have grown and take produce that
others have grown) as well as with the Heights Emergency Food Center to
supplement their monthly free community meal.  Four growing community
programs, each celebrating the newest stage of the garden, will be
conducted and each will cover a new cooking/food topic.  The project
will conclude with a Harvest Cookout @ Your Library, in collaboration
with Whole Foods market. A garden will be established at each of the
library's four locations.

Cleveland State University - Michael Schwartz Library, $7,234, to
establish a "windofarm."  The Library, in collaboration with the College
of Urban Affairs, the Student Environmental Movement and CSU Dining
Services, will develop a demonstration project to explore the use of the
"windofarm" method to grow herbs and greens hydroponically.  Materials
to support the curriculum on food sustainability and urban agriculture
will be purchased.  Programs will explore the topics of sustainable food
production in an urban environment, nutrition and health. 

Defiance Public Library - Friends of the Johnson Memorial Library,
$3,000 to expand access to and knowledge of gardening opportunities.
Currently the Johnson Memorial Library participates in an outreach
program whereby vendors at the Farmers Market (held at the library)
donate produce to those in need.  For this grant the Friends will
collaborate with The Hicksville Beautification Committee, Defiance
County OSU Extension Office, and the Hicksville Community Service
Center, HIX-TV, La Fleur de Terre Garden Club and Master Gardeners of
Defiance County.  The partners will present at least 12 children's
programs on nature, gardening, and herbal crafts and 6 adult programs on
herbs, gardening and landscaping.  Programs will also be broadcast on
HIX-TV.  A community garden will be installed at the County Fairgrounds.

Defiance Public Library - Friends of the Sherwood Library, $2,625 to
host a community garden in collaboration with the Sherwood United
Methodist Church, will host a community garden.   A resident Family and
Consumer Science teacher will conduct workshops on cooking and
preserving the garden produce.  A series of story times for children
will focus on planting their own seeds, harvesting produce and healthy
snacks. 

Fredericktown Schools - Fredericktown Elementary, $4,380 to enhance and
supplement an outdoor land lab begun in 2008.  The program will motivate
reluctant readers and cultivate student gardeners through partnering
with the Reading Recovery Teachers and the Summer School staff.  The
school will also partner with the public library to promote the summer
reading program.  Teachers will provide hands on lessons in the areas of
measurement, comparing and contrasting, plant structure and other topics
which align to the Ohio Academic Content Standards. The librarians and
teachers will plan six reading and garden-themed events.  All harvested
produce will be donated to the Inter-Church Food Pantry.

Lakewood Public Library - Madison Branch, $7,249 to provide residents in
an economically challenged neighborhood high-quality learning
opportunities about food, nutrition and ecology.  The Library will work
with many partners but primarily the Lakewood Earth and Food Community
(LEAF), the City of Lakewood and the Friends of Madison Park to
implement the Learning Garden.  All produce will be donated to the
Lakewood Christian Services Center to provide support for families in
need.  The Library will hold monthly storytimes which will be held in
the Learning Garden.  At the end of the project a special storytime and
performance will be held covering the themes of harvest and poverty
awareness.  LEAF will hold monthly educational events that raise
community awareness about sustainability issues and agricultural policy.

Newton Falls Public Library, $1,291 for a collaboration with the local
preschool and seven teachers in the local elementary and parochial
school.  All produce will be distributed through the Newton Falls
Community food pantry.  In May the Youth Services Librarian will visit
all participating classrooms (pre-K through 1st) to discuss backyard
gardening and children will plant their own seeds.  At the close of the
school year all plants will be transplanted into the library's garden.
Throughout the summer children will meet weekly with the Youth Services
Librarian to tend the garden and learn about various aspects of growing
food. 

Olentangy Local Schools - Olentangy Hyatts Middle School, $5,518 to help
support a 7th grade student elective, "Watershed" which focuses on the
local environment and watershed.  The district has already secured
funding for a greenhouse.  The Library component will develop a garden
which students in the Watershed program will maintain the garden and
examine how water impacts the growing cycle.  Among other partners will
be the Powell Branch of the Delaware County District Library and the
Stratford Ecological Center.  Produce will be given to the local food
pantry.

Pickerington Public Library, $3,175 to hold programs, in collaboration
with OSU Extension,  on gardening and nutrition and healthy menu
options.  Other programs will coincide with the summer reading program.
Library displays will focus on gardening and cooking with fresh produce
Produce will be distributed through the Pickerington Community
Ministerial Association food pantry.

Plain City Public Library, $7,045 to help turn vacant library green
space into a library garden that will assist the city in beautification
initiatives, provide opportunities for library programs, and help
support the local food pantry.  Community members will be able to "check
out" garden beds.  Although the space would be free of charge they would
need to pledge either food or volunteer hours to the library/food bank.
A children's garden will include activities associated with the Summer
Reading Program and for adults there will be a speaker series featuring
members of the Madison County Master Gardeners and local culinary
talents. 

Shaker Heights Public Library - Bertram Woods Branch, $5,175 for a
partnership project with Shaker Heights Youth Center and the Nature
Center at Shaker Lakes.  The library plans to plant an orchard at the
Bertram Woods Branch as well as provide space for community gardens,
with some plots designated as Food Bank plots.  Children's programs will
be offered with a gardening and a literacy component.  Adult and teen
programs will focus on healthy eating and cooking.  Booklists will be
developed and made available throughout the community and a deposit
collection will be placed at the nature center which will rotate
monthly. 

Twinsburg Public Library, $7,125, to assist the library has it positions
itself as a third location, where people can feel safe, welcome and
creatively engaged. A library food garden meets this goal.  A children's
garden club will be established and the library will attempt to pair
children with senior citizens living in assisted living who may enjoy
gardening but lack the ability to maintain a plot.  Various adult
programs will be offered throughout the grant period. 

Wornstaff Memorial Public Library (Ashley), $2,494 to encourage local
residents to grow their own gardens.  Eight family garden plots will be
developed in year one with an anticipated 16 plots by year three.
During the grant period the library will sponsor workshops on gardening
practices, nutrition and related subjects.  The Library will collaborate
with the Delaware Health Dept. Master Gardeners and OSU Extension while
Local Boy Scouts will prepare the library garden itself.  Those
attending programs will receive a starter kit of seeds and plants,
cultivator and trowel.  Garden plans and tools will be made available
for checkout from the library.

For more information about Ohio IMLS LSTA grant programs, including
details about upcoming deadlines and calls for proposals, go to: 
http://oh.webjunction.org/ohlsta. <http://oh.webjunction.org/ohlsta> 

Marsha McDevitt-Stredney

Marketing & Communications Director

274 E. 1st Avenue

Columbus, OH 43201

Tel: 614-644-6875

Fax: 614-466-3584

www.library.ohio.gov <http://www.library.ohio.gov/> 

  <http://www.facebook.com/people/StateLibraryof-Ohio/100000063363765>

  <http://twitter.com/statelibohio> 

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