MHS Receives National Grant For Library Services

Molokai High School News Release 

Molokai High School (MHS) has been selected as one of 300 libraries to participate in round three of Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, 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 help the library service students struggling with specific learning disabilities, including autism and health and emotional disabilities, who rarely or seldom access library resources.

“We are so proud to be chosen again for this amazing opportunity,” said Diane Mokuau, MHS librarian. “This third round of funding will provide our library with an additional grant to help us continue what we started in the second round.”

As a grant requirement, Mokuau will take an online course in leading and facilitating community conversations – a skill vital to library work today. She will then host an online conversation with the Molokai community about their needs for literacy skills, leading to personal empowerment. The conversation will allow her to use the grant funds to provide the appropriate materials, devices, online resources, and books to inspire and educate the students.

Literacy empowers students to academic success, informed decision making, improved self-esteem, and future economic opportunities. MHS Ohana Nights will be framed by the Hawaii DOE cultural statewide program, Na Hopena A’o or Ha (breath), which focuses students on traditional indigenous values and behaviors. As Native Hawaiian culture and education were traditionally taught orally, this grant helps Native Hawaiian and local students adapt to current textual and digital means of communication.

If you are interested in getting involved or taking part in the conversation, please contact Diane Mokuau at 567-7115 or email diane.mokuau@k12.hi.us  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 ALA in collaboration with the Association for Rural and Small Libraries (ARSL).