MORE BACKGROUND INFO

The Town of Reading is working toward becoming a certified Green Community, demonstrating its strong commitment to sustainability, education, and healthy living.

Surveys of residents and a recent community-wide health assessment show that the community is struggling with social isolation, disconnectedness from nature, and issues including poor indoor air quality. Additionally, residents want education and activities around horticulture, nature, and sustainability. The grant programs, collections, and services will address:

Accessibility Needs

The Town of Reading is growing, with a projected 4-5% population increase and an additional 2,000+ housing units over the next fifteen years. This means less green space for individual households.
While the Town of Reading is working to improve remaining green spaces, some areas still lack accessibility due to costs (memberships and fees), footprint (not enough space), and physical location or composition (not ADA-compliant).

Improving Community Health

Americans spend 90% of their time indoors, where pollutants can be two to five times higher than outside. People need and want more time outdoors and a better understanding of healthy environments. Adding indoor plants and small garden areas with self-directed learning tools will help both physical and mental health.
Pollinators are increasingly facing habitat loss due to climate change, population density changes, and urban development, which cause a loss of food and nesting sites necessary for survival. This project addresses the need for education about and spaces for endangered ecosystems and pollinators, birds, insects, and other wildlife.

Connecting the Community

Americans are experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness and isolation,” and “the lack of social connection poses a significant risk for individual health and longevity. Loneliness and social isolation increase the risk for premature death by 26% and 29%, respectively.”
Reading has active social, climate, and outdoor-focused groups. These groups operate independently and need to connect to expand their limited resources and reach. RPL can facilitate and nurture partnerships among these groups.
Reading residents want to improve their connection to nature but need help figuring out where to go or how to start. RPL will become a Climate and Nature Hub for the Town of Reading.
Sometimes, residents, including immigrants and refugees, don’t know about or have access to resources and activities. Programs and services in this project intend to bridge digital, accessibility, and language divides.

Improving and Expanding Education

Traditional education programs do not provide hands-on enrichment and free access to nature-based or sustainable learning.
Homeschoolers and non-traditional learners, who comprise approximately 6% of Reading students, need family-centered learning options or easy access to nature-based experiences.
The Reading Public Library already offers some environment nature-based and sustainable programs. However, the community wants more! Recent program and service requests include:

“Anything outdoors …”
“Gardening with native plants, information on how to decrease lawn areas by having native plant flower beds.”
“Gardening and climate action in a changing environment”
“Library neighborhood nature walks“
“Outdoor nature programs”
“Easy environmental things you can do at home regarding plants. Planting true natives and removing invasives”

OUTLINE OF THE PLAN

GREENSPACES

Three outdoor spaces (Patio, Raised Bed Sensory Garden along the parking lot, Native Bird/Pollinator Friendly Garden along the parking lot).
Indoor air-filtering plantings with a living wall element(s)
Accessible interpretive signage for green spaces

STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS

Building partner relationships (scouts, health dept, trails committee, etc)
Create a year-round intergenerational “Plant Ambassador” volunteer program
Create a brand identity for a permanent “Living Library” (nature, sustainability, gardening) hub.

EXPAND EDUCATION: PROGRAMS, COLLECTIONS, OTHER

Cohesive one-year curriculum with at least 20 public programs for all ages and abilities.
Collection development of physical and digital resources.
Collection development of nature/gardening, sustainability Library of Things (LOT)
Self-directed learning opportunities (passive programming) throughout the library property. Includes informative interpretive signage with QR codes linking to accessible content, with at least one non-English version (Portuguese or Spanish), and features low-vision-friendly designs.
Signage/kiosks that provide additional information about other town green resources and how to navigate them.
One related staff training or learning opportunity.

DETAIL ON WHO DOES WHAT?

Sara Kelso: Project Manager and overseeing adult and teen-related programming; collection development

Michelle Filleul: Manage website and Library of Things; liaise with community groups; oversee interpretive signage

Kathryn Geoffrion Scannell: Oversee acquisitions and processing of related physical and digital content; oversee pathfinder development; advise on accessibility issues

Andrea Hogan: Assist with planning, selecting, and implementing plantings, particularly as related to pollinator/native gardens; assist with the Plant Ambassador Program

Amy Lannon, Library Director: Oversee financials, including grant funds and in-kind funds; liaise with town committees and leadership; assist with the Plant Ambassador Program; oversee contracting, planning, selecting, and implementation of all indoor and outdoor plantings with a focus on the Sensory Garden

Megan White: Oversee Plant Lab and patio area improvements; oversee all children’s related programming and collection development

Desiree Zicko: Finalize branding and logo; schedule and oversee all channels of communications, including press releases and social media; assist with planning, selecting, and implementing indoor and outdoor plantings; assist with interpretive signage