Fundraising at APL

From Elissa Kane:

March brings us great news about our fundraising endeavors here at APL.

We've been awarded a two-year support grant from the Gates Foundation for the creation of a laptop lab that will enable library staff to set up remote computer labs at branch libraries and community locations for computer and Internet training.

We've also been awarded $118,000 from the NYS Library Construction fund for repairs to the Main Library infrastructure including replacement of the first floor air conditioning unit (the sprinkler was last year's solution), upgrade to the building-wide electrical system, installation of a fully accessible staff bathroom, replacement of the rear automatic door and, best of all, the matching funds necessary to now renovate the former gallery space on the 2nd floor into the Pruyn Local History Collection.

The Local History Room project is also funded by a very generous $50,000 capital aid grant from Assemblyman Jack McEneny. And finally, the Upper Hudson Library System has granted APL $3,000 toward a new program we're developing to train and employ teens to work in our libraries. We'll certainly be sharing more news when these projects begin to roll out.

Hey, also check out this great workshop by my friend Bill Patrick at the Troy Library (he's the guy who wrote Saving Troy: a year with firefighters and paramedics in a battered city.) Very interesting - very gripping dvd too.

And, as always, we encourage your individual contributions to support the libraries you love.