URI to receive $475K to support ‘Media Smart Libraries’ initiative

THANKS TO A LAW authored by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., URI will receive more than $475,000 in federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to launch a multiyear project that will use technology, film and digital media to creatively engage children, families, educators and librarians and advance their digital and media literacy competencies. / PBN FILE PHOTO
THANKS TO A LAW authored by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., URI will receive more than $475,000 in federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to launch a multiyear project that will use technology, film and digital media to creatively engage children, families, educators and librarians and advance their digital and media literacy competencies. / PBN FILE PHOTO

SOUTH KINGSTOWN – The University of Rhode Island will receive more than $475,000 in federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to launch a multiyear project that will use technology, film and digital media to engage children, families, educators and librarians, and advance their digital and media literacy competencies.
The funds are coming to URI thanks to a law authored by U.S. Sen. Jack Reed.
URI’s Graduate School of Library and Information Studies will use the funds in partnership with the Providence Children’s Film Festival, and the R.I. Office of Library and Information Services, to pursue a creative and innovative “Media Smart Libraries” collaboration between school and public librarians, and children’s media professionals, film festivals, youth media and media literacy groups.
The project will include public programming events, to be held at public libraries across Rhode Island.
The program will formally launch in February 2015 at the Providence Children’s Film Festival.
These programs will help parents, teachers and children’s libraries advance digital literacy and digital learning by using children’s films from around the world, as well as digital media tools and technologies. There will be continuing education workshops for librarians and educators, and the program will provide a fully-online graduate course for future librarians and an online resource hub.
The Museum and Library Services Act of 2010 annually provides federal assistance to museums and libraries across the country.
In addition to these competitive library grants, as well as grants to museums, Reed’s law includes state formula funding, which help libraries meet community needs, better utilize technology to provide enhanced services, and reach underserved populations.
“We live in a digital age, and our libraries are right there at the intersection of community and technology. This federal funding will help URI use innovative digital media and programming to connect with the community through movies, media and technology to increase literacy and help students succeed. I commend URI and its partners for putting together a successful application and I appreciate IMLS’ continued support for Rhode Island’s libraries and library users,” said Reed, a Democrat, in a statement.?
Renee Hobbs, communication studies professor and director of the Media Education Lab at the Harrington School of Communication and Media at URI, said, “The Providence Children’s Film Festival is a real treasure to Rhode Island families. We are thrilled to help build bridges between current school and public librarians, future librarians, children’s media professionals and Rhode Island families.”
Through this round of grant funding, IMLS handed out 51 grants to library projects around the nation, totaling more than $9.2 million. URI was selected from more than 210 applications around the country.?
The $475,980 federal IMLS grant is through the National Leadership Grants for Libraries program, which aims to support projects that address challenges faced by the library and archive fields and that have the potential to advance practice in those fields. This year, 31 projects were chosen for funding totaling $7,554,313. URI will provide in-kind support in the amount of $476,572 for the project.

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