The McIntosh Memorial Library of Viroqua has been awarded three grants to support programming, outreach, and collection development efforts by the library staff. All three grants were secured in fall 2024.
The library secured a nationwide grant funded by the Public Library Association (PLA) to offer workshops to residents interested in learning about using a computer, cell phones, or how to safely browse the internet. The workshops will be offered in spring 2025.
The Public Library Association (PLA) is the largest association dedicated to supporting the unique and evolving needs of public library professionals. Founded in 1944, PLA serves nearly 9,000 members in public libraries large and small in communities across the United States and Canada, with a growing presence around the world.
The library also secured an Ideas to Action grant from WiLS to enable the library to construct a mobile demonstration kitchen. The primary goal is to use the kitchen at the Viroqua Farmer’s Market to highlight seasonal produce and how to cook with it. The library will partner with producers and local chefs for the cooking demonstrations. This educational opportunity will provide practical tips and ideas on how to work with produce they purchase. For example, how to make an omelet using locally sourced eggs, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms.
WiLS (formally Wisconsin Library Services) is a non-profit membership organization that facilitates collaborative projects and services to save members time and money and to advance library service, primarily in the state of Wisconsin. Most members are libraries, but work also happens with cultural institutions, government agencies, and other non-profits to develop partnerships and projects.
Lastly, a grant was awarded to the library by the Vernon County Opioid Prevention and Abatement Steering Committee. To date Vernon County has received $450,702 in payments and the schedule of payments shows the county will receive as much $1.35 million by 2038, if the payments continue.
The money awarded to the library will be used to purchase new items for the collection, develop unique programming and training opportunities for library staff in Viroqua and Vernon County, and develop a Community Resource Station inside the McIntosh Memorial Library. The station will provide people with educational resources about opioid prevention, harm reduction, and other topics of importance.
The McIntosh Memorial Library was named the “Best Library in the State of Wisconsin” in 2023. The library is an inspiring beacon of lifelong learning, bringing knowledge alive, sparking imagination, and creating possibility for a vibrant and creative Viroqua.
