Written by Melanie Morgan, Director of Libraries

Neuse Regional Libraries (NRL) is excited to announce it was awarded two Library Services Technology Act (LSTA) grants in the amount of $47,487 for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.  The two projects are the Teen Leadership Internship Program and Cybersecurity Audit.

Teen 

Leadership Internship Program

As part of the Neuse Regional Libraries’ (NRL) strategic objective to provide paid learning opportunities with an emphasis on opening the door to positive learning experiences in the field of librarianship for diverse individuals, the Library will offer a Teen Leadership Internship program that focuses on developing life skills and immersing teens in real-life work experiences through community volunteering initiatives at the Greene County Public Library and Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library.  The NRL Teen Leadership Internship initiative is a workforce development program designed for teens entering 11th or 12th grade. Participants will be required to complete a STEM-focused project that exemplifies the library and promotes literacy in the community, with a time commitment of 8 hours each week per intern. Each internship program will offer courses on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, work etiquette, and healthy lifestyle choices. 

Applications for the program will open on July 15th.  Applicants will be required to complete an NRL teen volunteer application, a short essay describing why they are interested in the position; a brief outline of their internship project; and a letter of recommendation from a teacher, school counselor, coach, or other relevant figure.  After successfully completing the program, interns will receive a $500 stipend and a laptop to provide greater accessibility and opportunity for future success in their educational endeavors.  By creating a Teen Leadership Internship program, NRL is hoping to open the door for young adults in our community to gain positive learning experiences in the field of librarianship, and build a more sustainable future for public libraries and the library profession. 

Cybersecurity Audit

Additionally, the Neuse Regional Libraries will conduct a thorough audit of the Library's information security infrastructure, configuration, procedures, and current practices to identify potential vulnerabilities. This assessment will assist the Library in preventing Ransomware and other malicious cyberattacks, lead to the development of a Disaster Recovery Plan, and improve staff's ability to provide patrons with a safe and secure digital environment on the Library's network. The Library will also offer awareness training for patrons in the form of instructional classes on internet safety. 

To learn more about these initiatives and other NRL programs and services visit neuselibrary.org.  The Teen Leadership Intern and Cybersecurity initiatives are supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-253645-OLS-23).