The Lincoln Pelham Public Library is improving services with technology through support from $146,900 in grant funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) Resilient Communities Fund. This grant, awarded to the Town of Pelham in April 2022, will be administered over the next 12 months by OTF, and will support the implementation of self-service lending at the Lincoln Pelham Public Library.

“The Town of Pelham and the Lincoln Pelham Public Library is very fortunate to be able to have received this support to provide improved library services at the Pelham area branches. The addition of the RFID (radio frequency identification) technology initiative will continue to allow for increased library access for the community,” said Lincoln Pelham Public Library, Director of Customer Experience, Amy Guilmette.

The Library will rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19 by renovating lending areas, purchasing new equipment and technology to improve services and increase safety and access to library resources. The funding will be used to create permanent and safe 24/7 access to the libraries’ lending materials. The installation will include lending machines, selfcheckouts inside each library, and RFID technology to enable these services. The lending machines, similar to vending machines, will enable users to access library materials 24/7 at times convenient for them, minimizing contact and significantly increasing access to library resources. These permanent improvements will enhance safety for all library users and staff and better serve library users of all ages and abilities.

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested nearly $209M into 2,042 community projects and partnerships, which included funding for the Government of Ontario’s Community Building Fund. Since 2020, OTF has supported Ontario’s economic recovery by helping non-profit organizations rebuild and recover from the impacts of COVID-19.

Visit otf.ca to learn more.