Who said libraries are only about books?

Staff at Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library (ECCPL) have their eyes set on a busy fiscal year and the office of the Tennessee Secretary of State was able to provide some help thanks in part to a Training Opportunities for the Public (TOP) grant that was awarded to the library.

The grant, totaled at $1,773.90, was made possible by the Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act and will go toward technology-based classes at the library.

“We were able to get more laptops with the grant,” Renita Barksdale, ECCPL director, told the Elizabethton Star Friday. “We are also able to offer more classes that revolve around technology and offer more compensation for our instructors.”

Barksdale added the classes coincide with the library’s new mission statement, “the mission of the Elizabethton-Carter County Public Library is to inspire lifelong learning, foster outreach, and encourage personal growth through our wide variety of resources and programs.”

Since 2017, ECCPL has offered a variety of classes to assist with the public’s interaction with computers. Classes have ranged from teaching residents how to use Excel, basic computer classes, online coding and ACT preparation.

“We’re going to bring the classes back again for some of our patrons that may have missed our previous meetings,” Barksdale said. “We’ve had great feedback for our classes. We were able to have a class on how to use Facebook and other social media sites, and we received great feedback from the class.”

Another perk of the grant is to give the public a chance to learn more about security when browsing online, according to Barksdale. The director added the library will look at promoting the already-free resources provided by the state to help residents with a variety of topics, ranging from educational tools to resume building.

State Sen. Rusty Crowe (R-Johnson City) and State Rep. John Holsclaw (R-Elizabethton) made the announcement about the grant in a joint statement emailed to the Elizabethton Star on Thursday.

The Tennessee Broadband Accessibility Act, which is a new law aiming to increase access to broadband internet in rural communities, was cosponsored by Crowe and Holsclaw.

“It is important to constantly strengthen our technology skills in order to stay competitive in the job market and be well-connected throughout the world,” Crowe said in the statement. “I congratulate the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library for procuring this grant and working to ensure our citizens are up-to-date with technology.”

Crowe added, “I encourage everyone in our community to take advantage of these free training classes, and I look forward to seeing the benefits these classes provide.”

Barksdale added the library will start unveiling the classes in the coming weeks. ECCPL also offers one-on-one training for computer and technology skills.

To learn more, visit the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library Facebook page online or call (423) 547-6360.