The Leland Township Public Library announced on Tuesday that it has been awarded a $10,000 accessibility grant from the American Library Association (ALA). The grant, which is part of ALA’s “Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities” initiative, will pay for the installation of a brand-new ADA-compliant automatic entry door at the library.

Through “Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities,” the ALA is in the process of awarding “more than $7 million in grants to small and rural libraries to increase the accessibility of facilities, services, and programs to better serve people with disabilities.” Eligible libraries are those with “a legal area population of 25,000 or less” that are “located at least five miles from an urbanized area.” The ALA is apportioning the $7 million out across four rounds of grants, with each grant ranging in value from $10,000 to $20,000. The Leland Library is part of the third round of grant recipients.

According to a press release about the grant from the Leland Library, community members have “reported difficulty” with the library’s existing manual entrance. “The library’s service area includes a growing population of older adults and retirees, as well as parents and caregivers with young children in strollers, making this improvement a meaningful step toward lasting accessibility for all patrons,” the release states.

In addition to the new door, the grant will also pay for library staff to “complete training in leading community conversations” about accessibility, culminating in “a public discussion focused on accessibility” at the library. “This conversation will help inform future improvements and ensure our services reflect the needs of all residents,” the press release notes.

“We are so proud to be chosen to receive this award,” Library Director Mark Morton said. “This grant will allow our library to better serve all of our patrons and ensure that everyone can enter our building independently and feel welcome in our space.”