PORT TOWNSEND — The city’s public library has installed a new system that provides patrons access to grant information resources to help them find financial support for special projects.
“The Port Townsend Library is now the best place to get details about grants and applications on the [North Olympic] Peninsula,” said Library Director Theresa Percy.
“It is where people will go when they need this kind of information.”
The library has installed a dedicated work station on the second floor.
It connects to the Cooperating Collections of the Foundation Center of New York.
This resource is recognized as the best place for such information, Percy said.
Access to the database costs the library $950 annually, an expense funded by the Port Townsend Public Library Foundation.
Unlike its regular computers, the library is allowing grant seekers to reserve its use for extended periods.
“We recognize that people looking for grants need access to the computer for several hours at a time,” said Adult Services Director Cris Wilson.
“We will let people use this for as long as they want.”
The system was inaugurated Wednesday afternoon with a ribbon cutting, attended by representatives of city government and library supporters.
Wilson said the system has already drawn interest, with one patron using it for three hours before the ribbon cutting and one reservation per day in place for the next week.
The database also is accessible from any of the library computers. Patrons with their own laptops can access the database through the library’s wireless system.
As a result, access goes beyond the new workstation, since the library has 10 computers, and its wireless network can accommodate up to 50 laptops.
The library, which boasts the highest per-capita use in the state, could benefit from more access.
“We’d love to have more computers here,” Wilson said. “The ones here are in constant use, and people are always waiting.”
Wilson said the reservation system for the dedicated workstation will be similar to that in place on their regular computers.
“We will keep it for about 10 or 15 minutes after the reserved time,” she said. “After that, we will give it to someone else.”
Reservation policy for the new workstation could be adjusted to respond to public interest, Wilson said.
The new system also includes a one-hour online tutorial that provides instructions about securing grants.
Additionally, the library will sponsor a workshop in May that will offer tips about the process.
Wilson said the library has implemented several service improvements recently, with some extending outside of its 8000-square-foot space.
“We are the little library with big ideas,” she said.
________
Jefferson County reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
