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Iredell County library to apply for $17,500 Duke Energy grant to create tech lab for entrepreneurs
Summary
The Iredell County Public Library requested board approval to apply for a $17,500 Duke Energy Foundation grant to establish a public tech lab with equipment for entrepreneurs, makers and teen programming; the board signaled consent during the pre‑agenda meeting.
Julie Moore, representing the Iredell County Public Library, asked the board Sept. 16 for approval to apply for a $17,500 grant from the Duke Energy Foundation to establish a technology lab at the library. The lab would support library programming and be available to the public for hands-on training and small-business prototyping.
Moore described the planned equipment as including a laser engraver, a 3-D printer, a sublimation printer, a Cricut maker, heat presses, an embroidery machine and iPads to run software for the devices. The library plans to convert an existing upper-level conference room that currently houses six laptops into a secure space for the equipment that is still accessible to patrons.
The library also described workforce and entrepreneurship tie-ins. An Iredell County Public Library employee completed the LEAF (Libraries for Entrepreneurial Advancement) fellowship and has created an entrepreneurship resource area; library staff plan programming in October in collaboration with Mitchell Community College to offer business startup information and hands-on training for patrons.
Timing and funding details: Moore said the Duke Energy Foundation grant runs on a rolling calendar; if the board approves, the library will apply immediately and expects notification before the end of the year. The grant application packet in the board materials included a program description and an equipment budget prepared by the staff member who will write the grant.
Why it matters: Library leaders said the lab can expand teen programming, support entrepreneurs and provide prototyping tools useful to small-business development in Iredell County. The library requested authorization to apply; board consent for the application was recorded during the pre‑agenda session and the matter will proceed through the foundation’s review process.
Ending: Library staff will update the board on the grant outcome when the foundation completes its review; the library said it has identified a secure location and programming plan that would allow equipment to be available to the public and used for scheduled classes.
