OC Public Libraries Receives $75,000 Sustainability Grant from State Library

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. (July 23, 2024) - OC Public Libraries is proud to announce its selection as one of eight libraries to receive the Sustainable California Libraries grant from the California State Library. This $75,000 grant is designed to promote sustainability through resource sharing, improving efficiency, and creative reuse.

The project "Sharing Resources, Building Community" will introduce a curated collection of Library of Things at six branches strategically distributed across Orange County during fiscal year 2024-2025. This collection will include a selection of gardening tools, home efficiency kits, induction cooktops, sewing machines, Cricut machines, and other items for the community to share. OC Public Libraries will actively seek input from library users at these locations to help grow their branch's Library of Things collection. In addition to the Library of Things expansion, OC Public Libraries will host a series of workshops and events focusing on sustainable gardening, creative reuse/upcycling, mending, efficiency practices, and more with dates to be announced later this year.

OC Public Libraries began a Library of Things collection earlier this year with a pilot program at six branches lending outdoor games and musical instruments, and will be expanding to the Fountain Valley, Laguna Niguel, and Los Alamitos-Rossmoor branches by Fall 2024 with collections of children's toys and kitchen tools. The Library of Things promotes resource sharing, reduces consumption, and helps community members save money by borrowing instead of buying. The grant will expand Library of Things collections at the Costa Mesa-Donald Dungan, San Clemente, and Westminster branches in addition to creating new collections at the El Toro, La Habra, and San Juan Capistrano branches.

Interested in checking out items from the OC Public Libraries' Library of Things? Visit the Costa Mesa, Cypress, Rancho Santa Margarita, San Clemente, Tustin, and Westminster branches.

For more information on OC Public Libraries' Library of Things please visit https://ocpl.org/books-more/library-things