Rowan Public Library Receives North Carolina State Library Adaptation Technology Grant – Salisbury Post

Salisbury-Rowan Public Library has been awarded a $36,000 North Carolina Library Adaptation Technology Grant. RPL is one of 46 libraries that recently received a total of more than $1.5 million statewide. These grants enable libraries to improve operations by purchasing technology that supports better access to residents, pandemic response and implementation of public health protocols.

The grant award enables RPL to install a new Envisionware kiosks to improve checkout options. The previous kiosk was eight years old and ran on an operating system that was no longer supported.

Access to this new technology advances RPL’s digital inclusion initiatives by increasing checkout accessibility for people with disabilities, carers, or in other situations that may prevent someone from accessing the checkout. The new station and its amenities ensure that all customers have the option of using a traditional checkout process or a self-checkout process.

New self-service kiosks feature upgraded amenities. Customers can now reserve computers, renew borrowed items or access their account information. At RPL headquarters, customers can also pay fines (cash only; silver change and $1 or $5 bills) at the new kiosk.

“These kiosks have proven to be a huge benefit and are popular with users. We expect usage to continue to increase as more customers are comfortable with the high-tech options,” Itziar Pozo, Library Support Specialist, on said the press release.

RPL staff can provide individual tutorials on how to use the kiosk. We encourage customers to seek assistance at any help desk or call 980-432-8670.

The RPL’s Adapting Technology Grant application was written by former Technical Services Director Amber Covington and Library Services Manager Laurie Lyda, who oversaw the final phase of the project. SLNC’s Adaptive Technology Grant is funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Federal Library Services and Technology Act, which is administered by the North Carolina State Libraries under the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. SLNC received funding as part of the federal government’s investment in museums and libraries through the American Relief Program Act, which provides additional funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) to support important library programs. The LSTA Grants Program, administered by SLNC, funds library projects across the state that promote excellence and promote equity by strengthening North Carolina library capacity, expanding access, and community engagement. Visit www.imls.gov or www.statelibrary.ncdcr.gov for more information.