Walton Library receives second $10,000 ALA grant

Last Updated on March 25, 2025 by Cass County Communication Network

WALTON – The Walton & Tipton Township Public Library recently was one of 300 nationwide libraries chosen to receive a grant from the American Library Association.

This is the second $10,000 Libraries Transforming Communities (LTC): Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant that the library has been provided.

According to Kristi Hileman, director of the Walton Library, this round of grant monies will be used to purchase equipment to support individuals with mobility issues. Equipment would include wheelchairs, rolators, and walkers.

Funds also may be used to create a ramp from the entryway to the lower level. The purpose, she said, is to help people have an easier way of getting around the library. The equipment also will be available to individuals who use the Community Room for personal events like birthday parties and anniversaries.

The only requirement is that all equipment must remain on library grounds. The items will not be available for checking-out or taking home.

A community meeting will be held in May to focus on the specifics of how the community would like the $10,000 to be spent, Hileman said, adding that she is exploring the possibility of using some funds to buy a golf cart that employees would be able to use to help patrons to and from the library. It would be a type of “book mobile” for those with mobility issues.

The previous ALA LTC grant that the Walton Library received was used to create a sensory room for individuals with autism. The room opened to the public this month and is available for use.

“The LTC: Accessible Small and Rural Communities grant continues to be a significantly impactful effort in ALA’s history,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl. “This growing list of libraries nationwide is making huge strides in advancing accessibility for library patrons with disabilities. We look forward to the outcomes from this third round of funding.”

The 300 funded proposals represent 44 U.S. states and the Northern Mariana Islands. Of the selected libraries, 73 percent serve communities with a population of 5,000 or less. 103 of the libraries also received funding in previous rounds of the grant initiative, bringing the total count of LTC: Accessible Small and Rural Communities grantees to 662.

SOURCE: News release from Walton Library