The North Dakota State Library (NDSL) received a grant for $249,000 from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) through the National Leadership Grant for Libraries to help youth learn coding at 50 libraries across the United States through a program called Code Club for Small & Rural Libraries. Your small or rural public library can apply to be one of them.

Small and rural communities are at risk of being left behind as computer programming emerges as a critical skill and the gap in access to computer science education widens between urban and rural America. Code Club for Small & Rural Libraries seeks to enable the libraries in these communities to introduce coding to thousands of youth aged 8-14, which will help them gain the skills needed for college and career readiness and life success.

You can join the effort and help kids in your community with a weekly after school code club. Don’t worry if you are not a computer expert — they will provide all the tools and training you need to be successful. The program is grant-funded, so it is free for your library if you are a successful applicant.

Learn more and apply online. Deadline is July 16, 2018.