The Weinberg Foundation today announced an additional $5 million in funding to support the Baltimore Elementary and Middle School Library Project, also known as the Library Project. This grant brings the Foundation’s total commitment to this initiative to $15 million. The new funding will provide operating support for the existing 15 libraries, as well as capital funds for the development of four new libraries through 2023.
The Baltimore Library Project is a multi-year collaborative effort among the Weinberg Foundation, the State of Maryland, Baltimore City Public Schools, and more than 30 community and government partners. In its ninth year, this initiative designs, builds, equips, and staffs new or renovated elementary/middle school libraries in neighborhoods where many students face academic and economic challenges. To learn more about the Library Project’s history and growth please click here.
Partnerships are integral to the success of the Library Project. Some Library Project partners are involved with library design, construction, and operation, while others provide support intended to meet a range of personal needs for students, including nutritious food, winter coats, and family engagement services. Many Library Project libraries also host SummerREADS, a drop-in literacy program that combines reading activities, free meals, and hands-on workshops with the goal of preventing learning loss over the summer months. By the spring of 2021, 7,700 children—more than 13 percent of all Baltimore City Public School elementary and middle school students—will have directly benefited from this initiative.
To learn more about the expansion of this initiative, click here.
