MONMOUTH — Officials in Monmouth have agreed to accept $218,413 in American Rescue Plan Act funding for the town and $2,500 for the Cumston Public Library.

The library funds, according to the application, allow for the purchase of circulating or “take and make” collections, eBooks, audio and video collections and technology hardware.

By accepting the federal funding, the library must agree to five terms, according to a letter from Janet McKenney, director of Library Development for the state of Maine.

The terms require following all federal guidelines on the Maine State Library website for the 10% indirect costs for expenses, such as utilities and staff salaries, associated with the grant; producing a short narrative with budget amounts by the end of the year; and keeping receipts and other grant-related information until Jan. 31, 2026. This would include copies of all materials generated from the project, the application and the award letter.

The library must also credit the funds in any publications or activities related to their use, and show the grant was made possible by funding from the 2021 American Rescue Plan Act, which is administered by the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Maine State Library.

Town Manager Linda Cohen said officials will discuss possible uses for the $218,413 during their next meeting, scheduled for Dec. 15.

“While the use of these funds was considered very restrictive in the beginning, there is ability to use these funds for things such as building improvements or additions, if they are done to give employees and the public more space from one another and to improve air quality to lessen the spread of COVID,” Cohen wrote in the meeting packet.

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