LIBERAL, Kan. — Seward County Community College Library has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in the fourth and final round of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities.

The competitive award comes with a $10,000 grant that will help the library expand library services to the neurodivergent community. .

“We are so excited be chosen again for this amazing opportunity,” said Library Director Casandra Norin. “This grant will allow our library to serve our students and community patrons with disabilities better. It will help us to continue to improve the space to ensure everyone feels welcome and comfortable in our space.”

As part of the grant, SCCC Library staff will take an online course in how to lead conversations, a skill vital to library work today. Staff will then host a conversation with residents about library services needed to make the library more accessible.

If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Casandra Norin at [email protected] or call (620) 417-1160.

Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.