Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation

PURPOSE: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING AWARDS ARE AUTHORIZED UNDER THE CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2022 PUBLIC LAW 117-328 AND THE EXPLANATORY STATEMENT FOR DIVISION L OF THAT ACT. PROJECTS SELECTED FOR COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONAL DIRECTED SPENDING ARE LISTED IN THE JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT (JES) THAT ACCOMPANIES A SPECIFIC FISCAL YEAR’S APPROPRIATIONS ACT OR CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. THE JES LISTS PROJECT, RECIPIENT, STATE, AMOUNT AND CONGRESSIONAL SPONSOR.; ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED: ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING AWARD PROJECTS INCLUDE A WIDE VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES THAT RESULT IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OUTCOMES. HUD WILL NOT KNOW THE FULL SCOPE OF THE PROJECT UNTIL THE RECIPIENT SUBMITS THE REQUIRED PROJECT NARRATIVE AND CONFIRMS ALIGNMENT WITH THE LANGUAGE AS PROVIDED IN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD. TO FIND THE DETAILS OF THE GRANT AWARD AS WRITTEN WITHIN THE CONGRESSIONAL RECORD USE THE FOLLOWING LINK AND PATH SELECTIONS TO GET TO THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING GRANTS HTTPS://WWW.HUD.GOV/PROGRAM_OFFICES/COMM_PLANNING/EDI-GRANTS, SELECT THE FISCAL YEAR OF INTEREST, SCROLL DOWN TO PROGRAM LAWS AND REGULATIONS, UNDER FISCAL YEAR 20XX CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 20XX: CONGRESSIONAL RECORD (JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT).; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT AS DESCRIBED IN THE JOINT EXPLANATORY STATEMENT (JES) PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SUBSEQUENT APPROVED PROJECT NARRATIVE.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: THE PROJECT BENEFICIARIES ARE THE INDIVIDUALS AND/OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE AWARDED GRANT FUNDS OR SERVED BY THE ENTITIES THAT ARE AWARDED GRANT FUNDS AS IDENTIFIED IN THE JES RECIPIENT OR PROJECT DESCRIPTION SECTIONS.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: THE SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES ARE UNKNOWN AT THE TIME OF AWARD.

COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY (CML), IN COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES AT THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AND ASPYR WORKFORCE INNOVATION, WILL ADDRESS THE NEED FOR A REPLICABLE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) FLUENCY TRAINING MODEL FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY STAFF. PUBLIC LIBRARIES ARE CONFRONTING A RAPIDLY GROWING NEED TO STRENGTHEN STAFF COMPETENCY WITH AI, NOT ONLY TO UNDERSTAND IT WELL ENOUGH TO USE IT RESPONSIBLY IN THEIR DAILY WORK, BUT TO GUIDE COMMUNITY MEMBERS IN NAVIGATING AI TOOLS. THE PROJECT WILL ADAPT ACADEMIC LIBRARY WORKSHOPS FOR PUBLIC LIBRARY USE AND MAKE THEM AVAILABLE TO A COHORT OF 25 CML EMPLOYEES, WHO WILL EACH DESIGN A PILOT AI PROGRAM AND TRAIN OTHER LIBRARY STAFF MEMBERS. THE COHORT WILL ALSO PRODUCE AN OPEN-SOURCE AI PLAYBOOK FOR USE BY LIBRARIES NATIONWIDE.

THE COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY IN OHIO WILL IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO ASSIST RESIDENTS OF FRANKLIN COUNTY WHO NEED AFFORDABLE HOME INTERNET SERVICE, INTERNET-CAPABLE DEVICES, OR COACHING IN INTRODUCTORY DIGITAL SKILLS. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC LAID BARE THE EXTENT OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN FRANKLIN COUNTY. ALONG WITH BROADBAND ADOPTION, MANY RESIDENTS NEED DEVICES, TECHNICAL SUPPORT, AND DIGITAL LIFE SKILLS TRAINING TO FULLY ACCESS INTERNET SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, EMPLOYMENT, AND SOCIAL ASPECTS OF THE DIGITAL WORLD. THE COLUMBUS METROPOLITAN LIBRARY WILL PROVIDE ACCESS TO THOSE SERVICES AND INDIVIDUALIZED SUPPORT FOR RESIDENTS IN UNDERSERVED NEIGHBORHOODS OF THE NEAR EAST SIDE AND SOUTH SIDE OF COLUMBUS. THIS DISTRIBUTION OF SERVICES TO HOUSEHOLDS IN NEED WILL CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THE ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY RECOVERY FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.