The Dundee Library is expanding its reach this year after securing several local and regional grants to support new programming, literacy tools, and community health resources.
Over the winter, the library received multiple awards aimed at improving access to services for underserved and rural residents. Through the Southern Tier Library System, the library partnered with the Penn Yan Public Library to share a $2,000 outreach grant, with each library receiving $1,000.
Library Director Dusty Baker said Dundee’s portion will fund two initiatives: tablets for seniors and a new monthly pop-up library.
“A large portion of the funds will be used to purchase Amazon Fire tablets that will be shared with residents of St. Mark’s Terrace,” Baker said. The devices will come preloaded with apps like Libby, Kanopy, and Mango, giving residents access to audiobooks, e-books, streaming content, and language courses. Library staff will also provide training and ongoing support for both residents and staff.
The library already delivers large-print books to the senior living community each month, but Baker said expanding into digital access will offer a much wider selection of materials.
The remainder of the grant will help launch a pop-up mini library in Himrod at Smoke N Dough BBQ & Pizza. Beginning March 28 and continuing on the fourth Saturday of each month through the end of the year, library staff will offer remote checkouts of books, DVDs, and audiobooks. Several dozen titles will be available, and patrons can suggest additions through a community wish list.
“We hope to reach an even more rural population by offering these pop-up events,” Baker said.
The library also secured a $500 micro-grant through the Southern Tier Library System to purchase 11 Wonderbooks — print books with built-in audio that allow children to listen and read along. Baker said the new additions have already proven popular, prompting further purchases with earlier literacy grant funding.
Most recently, the library received $450 through the Sustainable Finger Lakes Neighborhood Mini-Grants program to create a lending collection of basic medical equipment, including stethoscopes, otoscopes, and blood pressure cuffs. Baker worked with Finger Lakes Community Health President Mary Zelazny to select items that would be most helpful for patients to have at home.
Together, the grants reflect the library’s focus on meeting community needs beyond traditional services — from digital access and literacy to rural outreach and health support.
“These grants allow us to meet people where they are and respond directly to what our community has told us they need,” Baker said.
