(Atlantic, Iowa) – The Atlantic Chamber Ambassadors were hosted by Michelle Anderson, Director of the Atlantic Public Library, on Thursday, February 24th, to learn about the new resources that have been made available through different grant programs.

The library has applied and received a few different grants in the last year that has allowed all six libraries in Cass County to receive new resources for all ages. With the help of an ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) grant and Public Library Collaborative Grant, the library was able to purchase 6 unique tablets along with a self-serving kiosk. The tablets have three different types of user profiles which is chosen based on the user’s needs. The tablets can be used anywhere in the library, and once they are returned to the kiosk, they begin charging and all information is erased from the device. The tablets allow users to access an endless number of resources including mental health resources, which was identified as a top need in the Health Needs Assessment that was completed in 2021 by Healthy Cass County.

In addition to the tablets, the grant also allowed all six Cass County Libraries to purchase 8 children books, 13 teen books, 14 adult books, 4 documentaries, 2 faith-based book kits, card games, a children’s yoga kit, and meditation chimes. The remainder of the grant funding has allowed the addition of programs such as suicide prevention trainings, therapy FAQ sessions, author presentation, and faith-based book discussion groups.

The library has been added as a Dolly Parton Imagination Library in the last year, which allows children under the age of 5 to sign up to receive one free book a month in the mail. The Dolly Parton program covers the overhead cost of ordering and selecting the books, and the remainder of the cost is covered by individual or business sponsors. Currently, the Cass County Program has 235 children registered and the cost to the library is about $25 per child per year. Sponsors are continually needed to fund the program. If you or someone you know would like to learn more about sponsoring, please reach out to Michelle, Atlantic Library Director.

Atlantic Public Library is located at 507 Poplar Street. For more information about programs and resources, contact 712-243-5466 or visit http://www.atlantic.lib.ia.us/