DN Co. Library earns national recognition

Each month, Grassroots.org selects one member whose work best fulfills its mission: To serve as a catalyst for positive social change by leveraging modern technologies and best business practices.

Four main criteria are used to evaluate the Web sites: activity, growth, creativity and navigability. With its inviting Web design and effective use of Grassroots.org tools, the Del Norte County Library excelled in each of these categories.

“We want to see other nonprofits succeed and grow because of the services we provide,” said Shane Hankins, executive director of Grassroots.org. “The Del Norte County Web site is a great example of how small communities can utilize technology tools.”

Grassroots.org services let the library create a compelling and effective online community. One of the most valuable services is the World Lingo translation tool, said library manager Linda Kauffman.

“I love World Lingo,” Kauffman said. “We have a large Spanish-speaking population in Del Norte County, so this will make our Web site more accessible to anyone whose first language is Spanish.”

Before Grassroots.org volunteer Phil Schaming designed the Web site, the library paid a premium for limited Web capabilities. Now, the organization has saved enough money on technology tools to purchase a new server.

“That’s reason enough to love Grassroots.org,” Kauffman said. “Society is so tech-oriented now that almost everyone has access to a computer and the Internet. Now our community can ‘see’ us online. It’s just another tool for us to help the people of our community.”