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Representatives from Imagineers  LLC and Hartford Public Library spend a moment on Zoom celebrating Imagineers’ generous grant to support youth technology. Clockwise from left, Senior Occupancy Specialist – Supervisor Tessa Murray, Director of Program Management Maria Stoute, Assistant Director Vincente Ithier, HPL Board president Gregory C. Davis and HPL President and CEO Bridget Quinn-Carey

Hartford Public Library will increase its programs and services to teens this summer through a generous grant from Imagineers LLC, a Connecticut-based housing services company that manages condominiums, rental property, and housing programs.

The $50,000 gift will specifically help the library’s Teen Services team’s effort to build a comprehensive creative arts, digital literacy and gaming program that will be implemented at the Downtown Library and then through YOUmedia at the Albany Library.

“The support from Imagineers will ensure that young people will have access to state of the art technology and software tools as well as expert guidance and mentoring to help them develop practical skills and foster their creativity. Budding artists and designers will be encouraged to pursue their dreams, enhance their portfolios and contribute to the community and the world. Thank you to Imagineers for investing in Hartford’s future,” said Bridget Quinn-Carey, HPL president and CEO.

“I want to thank our friends at Imagineers for their commitment and contribution to the Library. They are investing in the young people of our city, when we need it the most,” said Gregory C. Davis, president of the HPL Board of Directors.

“Imagineers is excited to support the Hartford Public Library and all the good work they do but especially during these times.  We are proud to be able to lend support to the valuable technology initiatives they have identified,” said Ken Schultz, president of Imagineers, LLC.

The $50,000 grant will fund two youth technology programs:

• The Library will purchase 12 laptops and load them with special creative, learning, and gaming software. The Library will also provide internet connectivity through Wi-Fi devices enabling students to use the laptops to complement our new Twitch channel and Discord App, as well as used to access educational resources and complete school assignments. The teen program is modeled on the Library’s successful Crossroads to Connectivity program geared for adult learners.
• There is great interest among young people in the use of digital photography equipment and access instruction on how to use the Adobe Creative Suite. The Library will purchase 10 Nikon D3500 digital camera and two D850s for instructional use. In addition, the Library will build a prime lens catalog for lending, use, and instruction, and have the ability to create Adobe accounts for anyone who takes a camera out on loan.

“This aligns with our goal of building a talent pool and potential career pipeline for the Digital Library Lab,” said Quinn-Carey, talking about one of the library’s new initiative, a one-stop imaging, digital archiving and photography service with a team that specializes in digitizing 2D materials and 3D artifacts.

For more information about Imagineers LLC, visit www.imagineersllc.com. For more information about Hartford Public Library, visit www.hplct.org.

– By Steven Scarpa, Manager, Communications and Public Relations

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