LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Library got a big Christmas gift this week – in the form of a state grant to help it meet the information and resource needs of the county's fire victims.
In response to the wildfires that devastated the south county this summer, the California State Library said Thursday that it is offering $15,000 in federal Library Services and Technology Act funds to the Lake County Library for the purpose of collection development.
County residents have sought help from the county's libraries to both rebuild and cope with property and personal loss, and California State Library officials said the one-time funds are aimed at helping the library system meet that demand.
The grant program's genesis, according to State Library spokesperson Kimberly Brown, came from a conversation between Lake County Librarian Christopher Veach and State Librarian Greg Lucas.
Veach told Lucas about some of the unique collection issues he was seeing stemming from recovering from a disaster like the Valley fire, Brown said.
She credited Veach with putting forward the notion of helping libraries respond to calamities more quickly on the State Library’s radar screen.
In a letter to Veach informing him of the grant dated Dec. 23, Lucas wrote, “It's clear, particularly in the wake of the Valley, Rocky and Jerusalem fires how essential libraries are to Lake County's residents. Hopefully, this grant will help you respond even more nimbly to the unique challenges created by the wildfire and other unexpected natural disasters.”
The Middletown Library itself was in the path of the fire, although it escaped major damage.
County officials reported in the days after the fire began in early September that the Middletown Library had sustained some minor damage to its roof. That was due to embers landing on it and damaging the rubber base, as Lake County News has reported.
Veach was appointed the county's librarian by the Board of Supervisors in June 2013 following the retirement of Susan Clayton.
Under his leadership, the county library system has sponsored an increasing number of educational events for children and adults alike, including the “Know Lake County” series and classes on using technology and digital devices.
In giving his annual report to the Board of Supervisors on Nov. 3, one of the key issues Veach highlighted was the need for more funding for materials and collections expansion, an issue that the new grant is expected to help.
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Lake County Library gets grant to respond to wildland fire-related needs
- Elizabeth Larson
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