PWPL Awarded $10,000 Grant to Build Capacity to Serve New Americans

CHICAGO — The American Library Association (ALA) announced $10,000 Building Library Capacity Grants to 16 libraries across the country to serve New Americans (immigrants and refugees). 

The ALA Building Library Capacity Grants are supported through a three-year grant from the Mellon Foundation. Each year has focused on helping add capacity to different segments of the library community. The grants are intended to bolster library operations and services including literacy and other skill development, developing collections, staffing, expanding outreach, as well as maintaining and amplifying existing service strategies or adding new ones to make an impact.

Since their inception public libraries in the United States have provided resources and education for New Americans (immigrants and refugees). Public libraries empower New Americans through English language lessons, workforce skill development classes, civics and citizenship sessions, books and information resources in various languages of their community, and much more.

In the greater Prince William community, almost 42% (222,600) of residents speak a language other than English at home. The most spoken language is Spanish. Prince William Public Libraries is committed to embracing its diverse community and reducing barriers to access, including language barriers. With the grant, PWPL will launch a new series of bilingual Spanish-English programs built on the success of the existing programs—Story Time and Music and Movement for preschoolers, and Craft and Story Night, Tastes of the Story Book Club, and Game Night for school-aged children. These new programs will rotate throughout the 12 branches.

“The American Library Association is committed to library access for everyone, especially for those whose who are new to our country. These grants directly contribute to our mission,” said ALA President Cindy Hohl, “ALA greatly appreciates the generous support and long-standing commitment of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to assist under resourced libraries serving underserved or marginalized communities.”

A full list of the grantees can be found at: https://www.ala.org/aboutala/ALA-Building-Library-Capacity-Grantees-2025

About the American Library Association

The American Library Association (ALA) is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 145 years, the ALA has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government, and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library's role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit www.ala.org.

About The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation's largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Since 1969, the Foundation has been guided by its core belief that the humanities and arts are essential to human understanding. The Foundation believes that the arts and humanities are where we express our complex humanity and that everyone deserves the beauty, transcendence, and freedom that can be found there. Through our grants, we seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.

About Prince William Public Libraries

Prince William Public Libraries has 12 branches throughout Prince William County and the City of Manassas, providing free access to books, e-books, e-audio, print and digital magazines, Digital Library, and CDs/DVDs. PWPL also offers free educational and entertaining programs for all ages.

###

Media Contact: Rachel Johnson, PWPL Communications and Marketing Director
[email protected]