The Saul O Sidore Memorial Foundation, a private non-profit charitable trust located in Bedford, N.H., announces the award of two grants to municipal libraries in New Hampshire. The semi-annual grants are part of a long-term commitment to providing funding for libraries in towns with fixed resources, for limited projects that help to improve the libraries' service to their constituency. Priority will be given toward programs that promote and enhance reading. Grants are not made to support "drives" or other general fund-raising efforts.

Grants have been awarded to the public libraries of Center Harbor and Kingston. The James E. Nichols Memorial Library, Center Harbor was granted $2,000 towards the cost of computerizing its catalog. The Nichols Memorial Library, Kingston was awarded $2,000 towards the cost of installing a Winnebago automation system.

Grants are named in memory of Rebecca Lee Spitz, a native of Manchester and a trustee of the Foundation who died of cancer at the age of 47. She had earned a Masters degree in Library Science, and had worked for several years as a multi-lingual librarian for the city of Haifa, Israel. In addition to being a volunteer at the Hollis Social Library, she also served for a number of years as Treasurer of the Hollis School District.

The first grant in this program was awarded in December 1995 to the Hollis Social Library. Additional grants since then have gone to 18 different municipal libraries, for a cumulative total of over $42,000.

Further grants in this program will be considered at the next semi-annual meeting of the Foundation, which will take place in May 2000. For information about the guidelines and the form of application, make written inquiries to: Ralph Sidore, Treasurer, Saul O Sidore Memorial Foundation, 24 Gage Road, Bedford, N.H. 03110.