Autauga-Prattville Library Receives Grant for Interactive Children's Learning Device

APPL Director Tammy Bear cited children with autism and ADHD by name when announcing the library's newest acquisition: a 32-inch FunBoard touchscreen funded by a $2,900 Central Alabama Community Foundation grant, now available to the public at 254 Doster Street in Prattville.

Bear said the device "reflects a continued commitment to providing innovative resources that support early literacy, critical thinking and creativity." The FunBoard, manufactured by Axtiontech, is preloaded with more than 40 activities spanning phonics, math challenges, brain teasers, sensory experiences, painting, Sudoku, and word searches. Its multi-touch surface lets several children use it simultaneously, a design feature the library plans to build into story times, summer-readiness programs, and special-needs inclusion events.

The board's thin frame accommodates flexible placement: it can be wall-mounted, laid flat on a table or floor, or attached to a mobile cart, giving staff the option to reposition it as programming needs shift. Because all content is preloaded, the library carries no ongoing software licensing costs after the initial purchase.

The $2,900 award is one of many smaller, targeted grants distributed by the Central Alabama Community Foundation, a River Region philanthropy that has awarded more than $130,000 in Wellness & Education Grants in a single grant cycle. CACF's mission covers education, health, cultural arts, and civic projects across central Alabama and surrounding counties.

The Doster Street branch has a long history of growing alongside Prattville's population. The library was founded October 12, 1956, when the city held just 5,652 residents, and opened January 25, 1957, running 12 hours a week out of the Women's Club Building in Pratt Park. By 1968, with Prattville reaching 13,000 residents, the library was open 36 hours a week and circulating 44,000 items annually. In 1974, Autauga County separated from the Cahaba Regional Library System to form the current multi-branch system, adding locations in Autaugaville, Billingsley, and Marbury.

Program schedules incorporating the FunBoard are available on the library's website.