Today, Congresswoman Annie Kuster (NH-02) attended the ribbon cutting for Nesmith Library’s new solar array project and delivered books from the Library of Congress through its Surplus Book Lending program. Kuster helped to secure a more than $14,000 grant for the library in the second round of American Rescue Plan (ARPA) funds – these federal dollars were used to facilitate virtual and hybrid programs, provide more meeting and study space, and digitize two years of the town’s local newspaper.

“The Nesmith Library’s new solar array will save energy costs for the community and the library for the long-term and further commits to the mission of libraries as a site for new ideas and learning – I was thrilled to attend today’s ribbon cutting and to see first-hand the positive impact of American Rescue Plan funds I helped to secure,” said Rep. Kuster, a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. “This funding directly supported the library’s Professional Story Walk System, digitizing the weekly ‘Windham Independent,’ and a Meeting Pod for meeting and study space. I will continue to support our local libraries and promote renewable energy solutions.”

“The solar project at the library will reduce the use of fossil fuels by the town, save the town’s tax payers energy costs over the long term, and provide an opportunity for the library to fulfill its mission to inform and educate the public,” said Sylvie Brikiatis, MLIS, Library Director of Nesmith Library.

The library’s solar array project consists of 254 modules (92.5 kilowatts) and has an estimated annual generation of 96,554 kilowatt-hours (kWh). It was financed by a local impact investor at no cost to taxpayers and will provide substantial long-term savings as well as offset close to 100,000 pounds of CO2 emissions every year. Today’s ribbon cutting was attended by Windham town officials, community partners, leaders from Revision Energy, as well as the State of New Hampshire Librarian.

Earlier this month, Rep. Kuster helped to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, which is now law, and creates historic investments in energy security and domestic energy production and manufacturing while reducing carbon emissions by roughly 40 percent by 2030 to tackle the climate crisis.

Rep. Kuster helped to secure a $14,353 federal grant for the Nesmith Library in the second round of ARPA funding, which was used to purchase:

• An OWL system for the library to facilitate both public and library-based virtual and hybrid programs.
• An additional Meeting Pod to provide more meeting/study space for patrons.
• A professional Story Walk system that allows the library to provide safe programming outside any time of the year.
• Digitization of the local weekly newspaper “The Windham Independent” which is now available on a web-based archive. 

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