Grant

In the Prairie View Elementary School library, Idaho State Librarian Stephanie Bailey-White (L) presents the grant award to Anna Wilson, Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Programs in Post Falls. Bailey-White traveled up from Boise. "I've been at a dozen libraries this week," she said.

ELLI GOLDMAN HILBERT/Press

By ELLI GOLDMAN HILBERT

Staff Writer | August 11, 2021 1:00 AM

POST FALLS — Eleven Post Falls school libraries are getting a big book boost just in time for the start of the school year.

A $50,000 boost, to be exact.

Idaho state librarian Stephanie Bailey-White presented the grant award to Anna Wilson, assistant superintendent for elementary programs, at Prairie View Elementary School on Aug. 4.

The funds will be distributed between seven elementary schools: Greensferry, Prairie View, Mullan Trail, Seltice, West Ridge, Treaty Rock and Ponderosa.

Post Falls and River City middle schools and Post Falls and New Vision high schools also will benefit.

“We’re using the funds for hardbound books of course, and e-books that students can access from anywhere,” Wilson said. “And also we’re installing self-checkout stations in each school library.”

Gail Ray, librarian at Prairie View Elementary School in Post Falls, applied for the grant through the American Rescue Plan Act.

“On March 13, 2020, school was in session on every campus. We were totally unaware that the nation would be locked down because of COVID-19,” she said.

Until that point, students had been checking out and returning books on a regular basis but, without warning, they were unable to return to campus for five months.

By then many students had relocated or moved on to different grade levels, and even after rigorous recovery efforts by librarians, many library books had been lost.

The COVID-19 pandemic also highlighted the need for more e-books, e-audio learning tools and a system that allowed them to access materials from anywhere.

Some grant funds will go to expand the school library’s OverDrive system, an online collection of books and learning materials that is now accessible to 280,000 Idahoans.

The grant will give schools the ability to replenish the supply of books and will make up for some of the learning loss that took place during the COVID-19 shutdown.

“Something we wanted to do was to build up student agency a little bit,” Wilson said. “It also frees the librarian's time so she can be helping students select that just-right book, instead of being stuck at the counter.”

This approach also addresses “sanitation and distancing measures to help our students stay safe and healthy,” Ray said. “It allows for more distancing and fewer lines at checkout in our libraries.”

About 80 different libraries applied to receive recovery funds from the Institute of Museum & Library Services.

Bailey-White said $2.8 million was requested and they were able to award $1.8 million.

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