South suburban libraries begin to receive state grants to improve technologies

Public libraries throughout the south suburbs, many where officials say they chronically lack funding to make improvements, have begun receiving state grants to help bring their technologies up to date.

The Illinois Secretary of State’s office announced 113 libraries across Illinois were eligible to receive either $12,500 or $27,500 to add hardware and software, expand their online collections, purchase digital devices and mobile apps, increase internet accessibility and more.

To be eligible for the funding, communities had to have both a low tax base and high poverty rate relative to others across the state. Because libraries are mostly funded through property taxes, their budgets rely heavily on their taxable base.

As a result, hundreds of thousands of dollars were invested in the Southland.

“I know a lot of people have said this, but when I first got the phone call, I thought it was a prank,” said Rebecca Bourné, director of the Riverdale Public Library.

Bourné said she feels “extremely grateful and honored” for the $27,500 check the library recently received, which will go toward upgrading its printer, improving its online system for reserving books, increasing internet speed and updating its website to follow Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.

“It’s really going to help us to better serve our patrons,” Bourné said. “Making sure that they have the resources to grow and learn to do what they need to do, especially in these times when everything is becoming more and more electronic and technology focused. So yeah, it’s really needed.”

Other libraries eligible for $27,500 grants included Blue Island, Calumet City, Chicago Heights, Dolton, Harvey, Grande Prairie in Hazel Crest, Justice, Lansing, Park Forest and Steger-South Chicago Heights. Libraries listed for $12,500 grants include Calumet Park, Dixmoor, Phoenix, William Leonard in Robbins and Nancy L. McConathy in Sauk Village.

Phoenix library officials thought of their elder patrons when learning they were eligible for the smaller technology grant. Library Director Jasmine Bond said their check has not yet arrived, but she is excited to update the website and expand their audiobook collection.

“We have one patron, she’s a senior, she comes in and she checks out audiobooks all the time,” Bond said. “Our audio collection right now is maybe about 15 to 30 books, and she’s read almost all of them.”

Bond also hopes to update the library computers and begin a class this fall to teach seniors computer skills and help them become technologically independent. She also plans to add iPads to the children’s section to provide entertainment for toddlers while their families read or work.

“Since we are a small library, I think that this grant will help us, bring us up to speed just with the other competing libraries that are around us,” Bond said. “It’ll help patrons to know that they can use their library more versus someone else’s, because their library and their town has all of the resources that they need it to have.”

ostevens@chicagotribune.com