In this month’s newsletter: We report on our foundation’s recent adventure in San Diego; We announce our Summer of Support campaign; We promote the Boulder Library Gala; We celebrate the NoBo Library’s playground completion; We anticipate a new DIY Studio coming to Studio24 in NoBo; We catch you up on all the library news you may have missed.
See below for a message from our Executive Director and view the full June newsletter here!
Dear Library Enthusiast,
The library fundraising field is stronger thanks to the Library Support Network, which connects the Boulder Library Foundation to shared learning from our peers. Each summer, a library foundation in the United States or Canada hosts the International Public Library Fundraising Conference. This year, a small team of us attended the conference hosted by the San Diego Library Foundation.
Over the course of three days, we learned from other library foundation leaders about what’s working, and also the struggles we share.
It’s remarkable to me how common the success stories are. Whether supporting a small or large library system, the difference between foundations that thrive, and those that languish, is leadership, clarity of purpose, and donor-centric fundraising.
I presented a talk with our board President, Kitty L. deKieffer, on the Boulder Library Foundation’s resurgence and how our board and staff are positioning it for growth. It was energizing to feel the excitement in the room as we summarized the path we’ve taken, and the ambitious future we’re stepping into.
Foundation leaders across the country are feeling the weight of the recent library funding cuts at the federal level. Many of them are lobbying hard just to help their libraries mitigate budget cuts.
I feel tremendously grateful for the support our donors and taxpayers have demonstrated for the Boulder Public Library in recent years, both at the ballot box, and through their donations to our foundation.
If you’ve given to our foundation already this year, thank you. If you haven’t yet, now’s a great time to begin, renew or grow your tradition of giving back to the library that gives our whole community so much. Please keep reading to learn about our Summer of Support campaign. There’s never been a better time to share your gifts with others.
With appreciation for the generosity powering our library’s future,
Chris Barge
Executive Director
