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Satilla Regional Libraries Gearing Up for Extensive Upgrades with Help from USDA

Name
Deborah Callahan
City
DOUGLAS
Release Date

Today the Department of Agriculture and the Satilla Regional Library System announced a series of Rural Development Community Facility Grant awards totaling $125,000 that will be used to substantially upgrade the library system through technology improvements at all six public libraries serving Coffee and Atkinson Counties, Georgia.

   “These projects will result in a modernized and well-equipped library system, essential for a variety of educational, informational and recreational needs.  It will enhance access to Wi-Fi, computers and government resources,” said Jill Stuckey, USDA Rural Development Georgia State Director.

   Since FY2008, seven community facility grants have been awarded for projects to upgrade the Satilla Regional Libraries.  In FY2008, a USDA Rural Development Community Facilities Grant (CF grant) of $50,000 was combined with $98,000 State grant funds and $192,000 library system funds for HVAC upgrades at the Douglas Branch. In FY2014, a $25,000 CF grant helped fund $45,500 of technology upgrades at the Douglas Branch. Today’s announcement includes additional projects for the remaining five branches of the Satilla Regional Libraries.  The $25,000 CF grants are each combined with $8,334 library system funds to provide modernized information resource systems, upgrade Satilla’s circulating collections and improve library operations such as the book check-out procedure.

   About 70,000 visitors a year depend on the Satilla Regional Libraries for a variety of educational, informational and recreational services. The six library branches Ambrose, Broxton, Douglas, Nicholls, Pearson and Willacoochee, serve the citizens of rural Coffee and Atkinson Counties.  They provide essential government services that are critically needed for those who do not otherwise have access to the digital resources offered today.  In Fiscal Year 2016 Rural Development invested $229,500 (21 percent) of Georgia’s Community Facilities Grant allocation for projects benefitting the rural public libraries.

   The Rural Development Community Facility Grant program helps develop essential community facilities in rural areas. Funds can be used to purchase, construct, and / or improve essential community facilities, purchase equipment and pay related project expenses. Eligible entities are Public bodies, Community-based non-profit corporations and Federally-recognized Tribes in rural areas. For more information contact Rural Development at (706) 546-2171.

        President Obama’s plan for rural America has brought about historic investment and resulted in stronger rural communities. Under the President’s leadership, these investments in housing, community facilities, businesses and infrastructure have empowered rural America to continue leading the way – strengthening America’s economy, small towns and rural communities.

   Since 2009, nationwide, USDA Rural Development has invested $13.5 billion for 5,739 water and waste infrastructure projects, benefiting 19.1 million rural residents; invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. USDA also has invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results.