Norwood's Morrill Memorial Library Announces $15K grant

NORWOOD, MA - The Morrill Memorial Library announced Thursday that it has been awarded a $15,000 grant for The Norwood Memory Project, a two-year oral history project that will align with the town’s 150th anniversary.

Norwood was one of the Massachusetts recipients of grants to public and special libraries under the Federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) which is funded through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, according to Liz Reed, the library's adult and information services department head.

The Norwood Memory Project, a collaboration between the library and multiple community partners, will empower residents to contribute to a multigenerational and diverse oral history project highlighting their lived experiences, ultimately creating a digital archive that is engaging, accessible and rich.

“LSTA funds help us bring innovative programs to our library’s patrons,” said Clayton Cheever, the library's director. “We are excited to be working collaboratively with Norwood Community Media, Old Parish Preservation Volunteers, the Norwood Historical Society, Digital Commonwealth, and Norwood town departments and organizations to preserve and share parts of Norwood's history that haven't been previously recorded, contribute to the Norwood 150 celebrations, and inscribe the personal histories of everyday Norwood residents into the historical record.”

He noted that, as Norwood prepares for its year-long celebration of the town's sesquicentennial,research requests at the library and at other local history organizations have increased. Connecting residents with historical information has revealed two problems: lack of accessibility to local history resources and gaps in the historical record.

For example, the special collections and historical records have not kept pace with digital forms of access, although more people are accessing information through digital means now than ever before.

The grant money will also be used to update Norwood’s current historical record to reflect the lives of everyday Norwood citizens and immigrants to our town, where evidence showed increased demand for this content.

“This past year has shown us the importance of libraries to the communities they serve,” said Robert Favini, Head of Library Advisory and Development at the MBLC. “These grants allow libraries to address specific local needs. They demonstrate libraries’ commitment to serve all members of their communities, to education at any age, and to make local history accessible to everyone.”

In addition to the direct library grant program, the MBLC uses LSTA funds to support statewide programs and services including summer reading programs, research databases, the statewide eBook program, the Commonwealth Catalog and mass.gov/libraries which has information and resources for residents. LSTA is administered on the federal level by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in the Commonwealth by the MBLC. More information about LSTA can be found on the Board's website at www.mass.gov/mblc.

IMLS is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s approximately 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. Their mission is to inspire libraries and museums to advance innovation, lifelong learning, and cultural and civic engagement. IMLS’ grant making, policy development, and research help libraries and museums deliver valuable services that make it possible for communities and individuals to thrive. To learn more, visit its website here.