RUMFORD — Thanks to a federal literacy grant given to the former SAD 43, students can do research and get additional help most days until 5:30 p.m. in the library.

Logan McDonald, a freshman at Mountain Valley High School, and Levi Rajaniemi, a senior, are taking advantage of the resource. 

“I can come in to do my work,” Logan said.

Rajaniemi said the after-school access to reference books and other library materials is particularly helpful when he doesn’t have a study hall during the school day.

The libraries in Meroby Elementary, Rumford Elementary, Mountain Valley Middle and Mountain Valley High schools can now stay open late because of a $400,000, one-year grant from Improving Literacy Through School Libraries. The only other Maine school district to receive funding was the Waterville School District.

From Monday through Thursday each week, students can use their libraries after school hours.

But that is only one part of the grant.

The four library technicians, who were hired to staff the libraries, are also charged with updating the collections and integrating books and technology into the curriculum, said high school Librarian, Mary Gamble.

“This is a place for students to be after school before going to work or practice,” she said. This is the first time the libraries have been accessible after school hours.

Some of the grant money will also be used to buy books and new technology, as well as to provide summer library hours that will assist with the summer school program.

The library grant dovetails nicely with two other grants in place in the former district, which is now a part of the new Western Foothills RSU 10 — a GEAR UP program that, among other things, provides funds to hire University of Maine at Farmington students to tutor high school students, and a 21st Century After School grant that provides activities for younger students.

Allie Burke, director of the 21st Century grant, said her program, as well as the others, is working to get parents engaged in the library and after-school programs.

In the works for either students or students and their families are plans for book clubs, creative writing groups, read- aloud groups and computer assistance.

“It’s exciting that they all tie together,” Gamble said.

Part of the library grant is also being used in the elementary schools to bring a children’s author next week to teach children during the day, then present programs at night for the whole family.

Eileen Broderick, Rumford Elementary School librarian, said a survey asking parents how they’d like to use the library after hours is also in the works.

Barbara Radmore, director of the GEAR Up program, said she believes media centers, also known as libraries, will become the hub of schools and the community.

“As we were writing the grant, we thought of the community beyond these walls,” Gamble said.

And at the end of the grant in August 2010, a survey will be conducted to learn whether the effort to integrate the schools and the community make a difference.

For MVHS junior, Kayne Burgess, the after-school library hours are an important aspect of his studies.

“It’s a great resource if I’m doing some sort of project. I can go to the reference section,” he said.

RSU 10 Superintendent Tom Ward said with the library grant, the district has received about $3 million in grants for the current school year.

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Mountain Valley High School students, Kayne Burgess, a junior, Levi Rajaniemi, a senior and Devon Hamel, a sophomore, take advantage of the longer library hours to do some studying while waiting to go to a sports practice. The libraries in the four schools of the former SAD 43 are now open until 5:30 p.m. most days of the week thanks to a federal literacy grant.