$13,000 awarded to K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library

The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $13,000 South Dakota Fund grant to K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library. Funding will assist in helping to grow its “A Place” program. The program helps immigrants adjust to their new home, while celebrating their heritage, through programming, classes, and a diverse collection of materials. The library is working to create a true community center through universal access for not only the Aberdeen community, but the surrounding communities.

“Without financial support from the South Dakota Community Fund, K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library would not be able to adequately address the needs of our growing community,” says Anna Lillian Moser, Director, K. O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library. “As Aberdeen and the surrounding Northeastern corner of South Dakota become increasingly diverse, we need to do our best to provide programming and resources to immigrants and other newcomers that help integrate these individuals and families into their new home, while celebrating where they come from. The funding provided through the South Dakota Community Fund will help our library do exact that!”

The Alexander Mitchell Library opened its doors in 1901 thanks to a $15,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie. The library moved to a new home in 1964, but by 2015 the library had become outdated and overcrowded. Through years of campaigning and fundraising, supporters were able to open the doors of the current K. O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library. The mission of the library is to enrich the lives of the community through universal access to knowledge, lifelong learning, and literacy. Through resources, services, and programming the library sets out to provide community members access to a wide range of knowledge, ideas, and opinions.

“Having a vibrant library in a diverse community like Aberdeen is a testament to how special the community truly is,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer. “We are proud to partner with the library to create a welcoming space for the entire community to learn and grow.”