Schaumburg Library Receives Project Grant from Jesse White

Schaumburg Township District Library is set to launch a new Tech Bytes program for teens this fall, thanks to funding from Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White's Project Next Generation grant.

Schaumburg Library was one of 29 public libraries in the state of Illinois to win grant funding through Project Next Generation.

The Illinois State Library used Federal Library Services and Technology Act funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services to award more than $464,000 in Project Next Generation grants to the various libraries. Schaumburg Library received $23,458 of these funds to support the new Tech Bytes program.

Tech Bytes will be a technology-based, after school program for middle school students. Local teens from area high schools and community colleges will facilitate the program, creating dynamic interactions and meaningful impact with the younger teens.

The older teens will also serve as mentors, showing the middle school students an achievable model for success in the community.

"This is such a great opportunity for us to provide a new service to our teens," said the library's Teen Place Manager Joe Marcantonio.

"Our main goal is to close the digital and technological gap between middle and high schools, preparing students to enter the high-performing high schools of our community with the tech knowledge and experience they need to succeed."

Tech Bytes begins this fall and will be held at Schaumburg Library's branch locations in Hanover Park and Hoffman Estates. More details will be released online at SchaumburgLibrary.org as they are available.