Third Congressional District

LSTA Direct Grants to Libraries

Massachusetts uses LSTA funding to provide libraries with direct grants to meet the needs of their community. There were three LSTA direct grants awarded to libraries in the Third Congressional District in 2023 totaling $35,525.00.

Below are examples of direct grant funded projects in the Third Congressional District:

• Lunenburg Public Library $12,961

  Lunenburg has respected schools and students are well-supported, but not all have access to opportunities to learn science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills outside the classroom, and not everyone gets all that they need in the classroom. Lunenburg Public Library’s project will improve access to equipment and tools to support STEM learning both inside and outside the classroom, provide hands-on instruction, and support learning in the community. The project also strives to set a precedent for reuse of “waste” materials, and to modify typical consumer behavior to include a more repair-focused mindset in which community members come together to share their skills and help their neighbors to redirect materials destined for the landfill.

• Beals Memorial Library (Winchendon) $10,000

  Journeys: Identity, Culture, and Community at the Beals Memorial Library will work to tackle the issues of isolation, domestic violence, substance abuse disorder, trauma, and mental health, all of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic. The project will utilize art, poetry, prose, literature, guided meditation/yoga, and community discussions to explore these topics, placing an emphasis on strengthening equality, diversity, and inclusion.