Middlebury Library awarded $5,000 state Active Transportation Microgrant to buy bike rack and bike-related incentives

The Middlebury Public Library was awarded a $5,000 Active Transportation Microgrant to support bicycle- and pedestrian-safety items and to fund bike-related incentives linked to its summer reading program, Director Jo-Ann LoRusso told the board at its May 12 meeting.

"Congratulations! I am pleased to inform you that your application for an Active Transportation Microgrant Award has been approved by the Connecticut Department of Transportation," wrote Eyitayo Olaleye, Transportation Planner at the Naugatuck Valley Council of Governments, in an email included in the packet. The grant is intended for helmets, locks, racks, bikes and maintenance training and materials that advance safe, accessible walking and biking in Connecticut.

LoRusso said the library plans to use part of the award to install a bicycle rack near the library entrance and to apply remaining funds as incentives during the 2026 Summer Reading Initiative. First Selectwoman Mahr is overseeing procurement of the rack, LoRusso said.

Trustees expressed practical concerns about using the grant to buy bicycles as grand prizes. Trustee Diane Giuditta and Trustee Meg Vance noted the difficulty of purchasing properly sized bikes in advance, the potential cost of five bicycles, and the inconvenience if winners must travel to another town to claim a prize. Facing those uncertainties, LoRusso said one option would be to establish a set dollar amount and award gift certificates while ensuring expenditures comply with the grant's requirement that funds be used for bikes or bike-related products.

The board accepted the Director's Report, which included the grant announcement, by unanimous vote.