Secretary of State delivers grants to Anderson County
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett visited the Clinton Library Friday, July 14, to present two grant awards to Anderson County and City of Clinton officials: a $6,794 technology training grant to the Clinton Public Library and a $3,123 grant to the Anderson County Archives and Records Department. Pictured in the photo for the archives and records grant are, from left, Clinton City Manager Roger Houck, Rep. Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro), Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge), Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), Anderson County Historian Mary Sue Harris, Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank and Secretary of State Tre Hargett.
“This grant allows funding for the library to have a tech trainer out in the community to train anyone who wants training on how to use Microsoft Word, email, laptops, and things like that. The focus is on expanding digital literacy,” explained Meg Harrison, Clinton Public Library Director.
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge), who was one of a number of officials present at the grants presentation at the Clinton Library on Friday afternoon, said he was pleased to see that these grants were awarded in Clinton and Anderson County.
The money from the grants will “enable our libraries to purchase much-needed technology giving hardworking Tennesseans the opportunity to access information in a way that enriches their lives and community,” McNally said.
Clinton Public Library received $6, 794. 10 for technology training, which is part of an initiative the state Library and Archives is making to provide libraries in the Tennessee Regional Library System state funding for new computers, software and technology training in Tennessee communities.
Libraries are “technology hubs, especially in underserved communities,” said Hargett. “Providing updated laptops and training will ensure every Tennessean has the resources and the skills they need to work on school projects, apply for jobs or conduct the same business many of us do online every day.”
The Anderson County Archives and Records Department received $3, 128.
The grant for the archives funding is a 50 percent matching fund, meaning the county has to match 50 percent of the funding for this grant, said Anderson County Mayor Terry Frank, who was present Friday for the grant awards.
“These grant dollars will go a long way toward protecting the records stored in our archives,” Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge) said.
Rep. Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro) said the grant announcements from the state Library and Archives were “tremendous news” for Anderson County, and that the funding will help “modernize our libraries so they can continue to serve future generations of Tennesseans.”