Officials with the Anne Arundel County Public Library announced the award of a $12,100 grant from the City of Annapolis’ Community Grant Program. The grant will fund the purchase and installation of two SMART Tables® at the Annapolis and Eastport-Annapolis Neck libraries.
The collaborative learning centers are accessible by up to eight learners at a time and enable young children, ages 2 – 8, to build important literacy, problem solving and collaborative learning skills. Widely used at libraries around the country and in preschool and early elementary classrooms nationwide, SMART Tables® are touch screen computers, in the shape and size of a 42″ table, preloaded with educational software. SMART Tables® enable early learners to individually or collaboratively solve puzzles, match shapes and colors and do a wide variety of learning activities.
“We are grateful to Mayor Pantelides and the entire City Council for their support of this project. The nearly 5,000 preschool and early elementary students who visit the Annapolis and Eastport libraries each month will benefit tremendously from these interactive learning tools,” said Library CEO Skip Auld.
The city’s grant program funds projects or activities with/that:
- quantifiable outcomes;
- provide plans for securing funding from sources other than those provided by the City of Annapolis;
- represent a cooperative effort among the applicant, the community, and other private and/or public partners;
- display creative ways of helping people help themselves;
- provide activities in support of the City’s goal of providing a system in which all residents of the City of Annapolis have access to services that sustain and enhance the quality of life and are equitable, effective, accountable, and responsive to changing community needs.
The library, supported by the Foundation, uses technology in a variety of educational resources available to children and families including Play and and Learn Stations at each branch, Playaway Launchpads, eBooks, Tumblebooks, online homework help and ABC Mouse.
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