Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


A local library has received a grant to help it better serve children and teens with disabilities.

The Salem-South Lyon District Library (SSLDL) has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in the fourth and final round of “Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities”.

It’s an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities.

The competitive award comes with a $10,000 grant that will allow the library to develop a home delivery service for children and teens with disabilities. The service is designed for young patrons in the Salem and South Lyon communities who are unable to visit the library because of medical, developmental, or sensory needs.

SSLDL currently offers home delivery for seniors. This latest grant will allow staff to expand this service.

Library Director Kathy Merucci said “We are so proud to have been chosen again for this vital grant. This fourth round of funding will allow SSLDL to give our youth and teen patrons with disabilities the expanded library access they deserve.”

As part of the grant, library staff will host a Community Conversation at the library on Wednesday, May 20th from 6:30-7:15pm. In the conversation, staff will discuss the accessibility initiative and seek input about the service from interested community members.

Those interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, contact Sarah Scherdt or Tina McIntosh at youthdepartment@ssldl.info or visit ssldl.info for more information.

Since 2014, ALA’s Libraries Transforming Communities initiative has re-imagined the role libraries play in supporting communities. Libraries of all types have utilized free dialogue and deliberation training and resources to lead community and campus forums; take part in anti-violence activities; provide a space for residents to come together and discuss challenging topics; and have productive conversations with civic leaders, library trustees and staff.

“Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL)”.