Written by Staci Dennison, The Thomas W. Jones Executive Director of The Library Foundation and Chief Development Officer
What connects you with your Library? For Molly Shannon, 2022 National Library Week’s honorary chair, it started with her mom—a librarian—who encouraged kids to read.
“Libraries are places where communities connect—to things like broadband, computers, programs and classes, books, movies, video games, and more. But most importantly, libraries connect us to each other.” Molly Shannon
A Library for All
Molly’s special connection is through her mother; what’s your special connection?
When customers and donors tell us why their library is special, they almost always share a story about a staff member. Stories similar to Clara’s bond with Ms. Kathy, opens a new window, Children’s Librarian at the Miami Township Branch. Memories like Howard’s about Miss Mary, opens a new window, a Librarian who retired long ago. Stories and memories of library workers who have indelible impacts on individuals and the communities they serve.
Supporting Your Special Connection
The connection and community that your Library enables is phenomenal and priceless. It cannot be measured in linear feet of books and materials circulated or the number of volumes in our extensive collection, nor is it about the number of active cardholders, visitors to branches, meals served, or COVID-19 tests distributed. While these statistics are an important perspective on the impact of your Library, they can never fully represent the meaningful relationships that grow individuals and help anchor communities.
During National Library Week, take a few moments to reflect on how you connect with your Library and what makes it special. Share that with a library staff member to brighten their day. Consider making a gift in their honor or memory or help to fuel their work and service to your community by Befriending your Branch through a gift to The Library Foundation, opens a new window.
Befriending A Branch
When you Befriend a Branch, opens a new window, 100% of your tax-deductible gift is dedicated to your branch through The Library Foundation. These gifts allow staff at your branch to invest in the priorities and needs of your community. Here are a few examples of how these contributions have been used in the past year:
- New children’s furniture and supplies at the Westwood, Norwood, and Sharonville branch libraries
- Outdoor umbrellas at the Groesbeck Branch Library
- New MakerSpace equipment at the St. Bernard Branch Library
- Celebration festivities and programming for the 60th Anniversary of the West End Branch Library and its Mary Finley Memorial Essay and Speech Contest, opens a new window
Thank you for supporting your Library and minds of all kinds!
The Library Foundation is dedicated to ensuring a great library system by raising, managing, and allocating funds to expand and enhance the Library's programs. Your donations allow the Library Foundation to fund system-wide and branch-specific initiatives as well as programming for minds of all kinds. For more information or to make your gift online now: https://foundation.chpl.org, opens a new window
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