FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Matt Smith D-Allegheny www.pahouse.com/MSmith

Smith delivers $50,000 to Mt. Lebanon Public Library

MT. LEBANON, Aug. 1 – State Rep. Matt Smith, D-Allegheny, presented the Mt. Lebanon Public Library with $50,000 from the state on Thursday evening.

The lawmaker says the grant will help the library improve its resources while coping with growing prices and a smaller budget.

"In recent years, the Mt. Lebanon Public Library's budget has steadily been reduced each year," Smith said. "This year, its budget is now more than $55,000 less than it was in 2002. Despite a significant loss in its operating budget, the price of books, personnel and the number of books it circulates have continued to rise."

Smith said the grant will help the library expand its collection, including:

· Large-print books and unabridged audio books for people with visual impairments or learning disabilities.

· Closed-captioned video materials for people with hearing or learning impairments.

· Early childhood education resources.

· Fiction and nonfiction resources for and regarding children with special needs.

· Fiction and nonfiction resources for homeschooling families.

· Books, audio and video materials in foreign languages for families who don't speak English as their primary language.

· Educational materials for career development and running a personal business.

Smith noted that 76 percent of the more than 33,000 Mt. Lebanon residents carry a Mt. Lebanon Public Library card, in addition to patrons residing throughout Allegheny County.

Last year alone, the library circulated more than 565,880 books and other materials and was visited by more than 397,500 patrons.

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