It’s not often one can look at government spending and feel completely satisfied that it is going in the right places, but when it comes to education, it’s hard to feel anything but positive.

The DeKalb Public Library is headed in that positive direction. After applying for a state Weed and Feed for Education Grant, the library received $4,000, which will be used to concentrate on science, psychology, math and philosophy multimedia.

There are several positives that will come out of this grant. It won’t be spent on romance novels or other literary wastes, but will help fund education on multiple levels. Teachers will be able to find new material to teach their classes using the new-wave educational resources DVDs and CDs can provide. It’s no secret American students have fallen behind other countries in the areas of math and science, and much of this is due to teaching. According to a 1999 American Educational Research Association study, 33.1 percent of American secondary school teachers (grades 7-12) in math teach without a major or minor in their field.

Multimedia forms of education can rekindle American students’ interest in these lagging educational fields, even if teacher’s can’t. And while multimedia may not solve America’s education problem, it certainly is a step in the right direction.

Even better, the DeKalb Public Library isn’t content with the grant money it has. The library is currently teaching students grant writing so it can apply for more funding and make further improvements in the DeKalb community.

Education is the best long-term economic multiplier because it’s a gift that keeps giving. Even the stingiest individuals should be able to appreciate grants for education that make our future brighter.

Any member of the DeKalb community should be rooting for the DeKalb Public Library, for the more it can rake in through educational resources, the better the result for DeKalb.