WE’RE LIBRARY LOVERS
We believe in the power of libraries to improve people’s lives.
WE’RE LIBRARY LOVERS
We believe in the power of libraries to improve people’s lives.
Our Library is shaping our future.
Like all Libraries, the Boulder Public Library began with books. But it’s evolved into so much more – a space that inspires creativity, empowers innovation, and encourages life-long learning.
Our Library is continually reinventing itself to best meet our community’s needs, and Boulderites clearly love it. In 2022, Boulder voters approved a new Boulder Public Library District with more robust funding to support:
- Restoring literacy programs
- Expanding public meeting spaces and operating hours
- Improving collections and digital resources
- Restoring hours at Carnegie Library for Local History
- Reopening the Canyon Theater and BLDG 61 Makerspace
- Opening a new location in Gunbarrel
- Increasing STEAM and internet access
- Enhancing safety and maintenance at all facilities
Our Library is the cornerstone of our community. And programs are the cornerstone of our Library. By funding programs like Reading Buddies, ESL classes, free bilingual book giveaways, multicultural outreach events, a new Center for Writing and artists in residence for our makerspaces, the Boulder Library Foundation is working to ensure our Library’s remarkable work continues far into the future.
$10 million
Our donors have made it possible for us to invest more than $10 million in Library programs since 1974.
Our History
The Boulder Library Foundation was formed in 1974 to bridge the gap between the City of Boulder’s budget and our libraries’ critical needs. Since then the Foundation has provided more than $10M in funding and subsidized nearly 90 percent of the libraries’ programs.
In 2022, residents voted to create a Boulder Public Library District. For the first time, Boulder’s libraries received sufficient funding to fix holes in the roof, increase the print and digital resources in circulation, and keep library branches open at least five days per week.
Today, the Foundation is a resource for innovation and evolution. What should the libraries of tomorrow be like? What tools, programs, and spaces can we provide to help Boulder residents thrive? Join us in supporting libraries as a hub of community, creativity, and growth — now and in the future.
Our Mission
Mission Statement
The Boulder Library Foundation provides funding for Boulder’s libraries that helps people develop and grow. We raise money, increase awareness, advocate for the library, and encourage community involvement.
We strive to ensure that:
Library facilities accommodate our growing community
Library resources evolve with our changing habits, interests, and needs
Library outreach and programs serve all residents
Our Board & Staff
Board members of the Boulder Library Foundation board are appointed volunteers from the community with a diverse range of backgrounds and skills. Foundation staff are professionals with a full time commitment to operating transparently, responsibly, and in deep cooperation with Library leaders.
Board Members
Kitty deKieffer – President
- Fundraiser
- Friendraiser
- Business Person
Kitty has been very involved in non profits in the local, state and national level. She owns a farm, enjoys her non profit work and loves her son, Hunter. Libraries have been her nourishment from an early age. Sadly, she has an (un)healthy love for shoes.
Jenny Slade – Vice President
-
- Writer
- Learner
- Birder
Jenny is a lifelong learner, reader, writer, and marketer. Her first job was shelving books in a DC library, she fell into literature at the UPenn library, learned Spanish in the library of Valencia, Spain, and frequents the Audubon library online to learn about birds.
Sharon Bloom – Secretary
- Friend
- Enthusiast
- Connector
Sharon is a creative connoisseur – of fiction, theater and music. A marketing professional, Sharon is a mother to two teens (both avid readers) and wife to a sci-fi loving husband. When not working Sharon can be found planning their next adventure.
Julie Yates – Treasurer
- Learner
- Strategic thinker
- Outdoorsperson
Shaped significantly by libraries and librarians as a child, Julie is a lifelong supporter of public libraries. She has enjoyed more than three decades of work in education, fundraising, and nonprofit governance, always with the goal of making the world kinder, more inclusive, and full of wonder.
Alice Brown
- Open
- Enthusiastic
- Supporter
Alice is a lifelong helper, volunteer, and friend who dreams of touring the most beautiful libraries in the world. She loves spending time in the sunshine, arts and crafts, coffee chats, and living room gatherings with loved ones and her dog, Alfie.
Kristin Centanni
- Nature-lover
- Entrepreneur
- Learner
As an experienced management consultant and business owner, Kristin brings a keen strategic perspective to the library foundation. Her love of libraries as a safe space that is open to all, runs deep and it’s no surprise that she even formed her own business concept during brainstorming sessions at the Boulder Library!
Ethan Decker
- Marketer
- Mentor
- Mensch
Ethan is a brand scientist, a veteran marketer, and a big believer in investing in his community. Ask him about graphic novels, foster parenting, craft cocktails, and data visualization — but only if you have time.
Adriana Farmer
- Operator
- Optimist
- Connector
By day, Adriana brings innovative new products and ideas to market and scale. She loves reading fiction and enjoys playing outside with her husband and dog, “Champ.” She strongly believes in the library’s role of providing equal access to education.
Doris Hass – Founder
Board member since 1974.
Tina Ottersberg
- Strategist
- Designer
- Entrepreneur
A strategic thinker who excels at synthesizing complex data to inform high level decision making, Tina provides financial planning and investment services to her clients both locally and nationally. She lives in Boulder with her husband and their two daughters.
Kavita Sienknecht
- Entrepreneur
- Ideator
- Collectivist
Kavita’s connection to libraries goes back to her childhood in India and the library her grandmother ran from a spare bedroom in her home. She frequents the library during the week to grow her own consulting business, and on the weekend with her daughter, passing along her love of libraries to the next generation.
Andy Sayler – Library District Representative
- Hacker
- Helper
- Engineer
Andy is a computer scientist and hacker who has long loved the Boulder Public library for all it provides. When not working his day job in information security, he can be found tinkering with his house or canning fresh tomatoes.
Sylvia Wirba – Library District Representative
- Lawyer
- Organizer
- Synthesizer
Books and libraries have always been a special part of Sylvia’s life. She loves reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. As an attorney, she advocates for indigenous peoples, including tribal and national housing issues.
Doris Hass – Founder
Board member since 1974.
Jenny Slade – Vice President
-
- Writer
- Learner
- Birder
Jenny is a lifelong learner, reader, writer, and marketer. Her first job was shelving books in a DC library, she fell into literature at the UPenn library, learned Spanish in the library of Valencia, Spain, and frequents the Audubon library online to learn about birds.
Sylvia Wirba – Library District Representative
- Lawyer
- Organizer
- Synthesizer
Books and libraries have always been a special part of Sylvia’s life. She loves reading, writing, traveling, and spending time with family and friends. As an attorney, she advocates for indigenous peoples, including tribal and national housing issues.
Kitty deKieffer – President
- Fundraiser
- Friendraiser
- Business Person
Kitty has been very involved in non profits in the local, state and national level. She owns a farm, enjoys her non profit work and loves her son, Hunter. Libraries have been her nourishment from an early age. Sadly, she has an (un)healthy love for shoes.
Adriana Farmer
- Operator
- Optimist
- Connector
By day, Adriana brings innovative new products and ideas to market and scale. She loves reading fiction and enjoys playing outside with her husband and dog, “Champ.” She strongly believes in the library’s role of providing equal access to education.
Sharon Bloom – Secretary
- Friend
- Enthusiast
- Connector
Sharon is a creative connoisseur – of fiction, theater and music. A marketing professional, Sharon is a mother to two teens (both avid readers) and wife to a sci-fi loving husband. When not working Sharon can be found planning their next adventure.
Andy Sayler – Library District Representative
- Hacker
- Helper
- Engineer
Andy is a computer scientist and hacker who has long loved the Boulder Public library for all it provides. When not working his day job in information security, he can be found tinkering with his house or canning fresh tomatoes.
Alice Brown
- Open
- Enthusiastic
- Supporter
Alice is a lifelong helper, volunteer, and friend who dreams of touring the most beautiful libraries in the world. She loves spending time in the sunshine, arts and crafts, coffee chats, and living room gatherings with loved ones and her dog, Alfie.
Kristin Centanni
- Nature-lover
- Entrepreneur
- Learner
As an experienced management consultant and business owner, Kristin brings a keen strategic perspective to the library foundation. Her love of libraries as a safe space that is open to all, runs deep and it’s no surprise that she even formed her own business concept during brainstorming sessions at the Boulder Library!
Julie Yates – Treasurer
- Learner
- Strategic thinker
- Outdoorsperson
Shaped significantly by libraries and librarians as a child, Julie is a lifelong supporter of public libraries. She has enjoyed more than three decades of work in education, fundraising, and nonprofit governance, always with the goal of making the world kinder, more inclusive, and full of wonder.
Kavita Sienknecht
- Entrepreneur
- Ideator
- Collectivist
Kavita’s connection to libraries goes back to her childhood in India and the library her grandmother ran from a spare bedroom in her home. She frequents the library during the week to grow her own consulting business, and on the weekend with her daughter, passing along her love of libraries to the next generation.
Ethan Decker
- Marketer
- Mentor
- Mensch
Ethan is a brand scientist, a veteran marketer, and a big believer in investing in his community. Ask him about graphic novels, foster parenting, craft cocktails, and data visualization — but only if you have time.
Tina Ottersberg
- Strategist
- Designer
- Entrepreneur
A strategic thinker who excels at synthesizing complex data to inform high level decision making, Tina provides financial planning and investment services to her clients both locally and nationally. She lives in Boulder with her husband and their two daughters.
Foundation Staff
Chris Barge – Executive Director
- Catalyst
- Adventurer
- Writer
Chris draws energy equally from meeting new people, mountain biking through pine forests and settling in with a new book. He joined the Boulder Library Foundation team after 10 years in newspapers and 13 years with Community Foundation Boulder County.
Lisa McClellan – Administrative Assistant
- Learner
- Singer
- Mother
Lisa brings over 10 years of nonprofit and for-profit administrative experience to the Boulder Library Foundation team. She is passionate about lifelong learning and supporting inclusive spaces and experiences. She enjoys singing, reading and exploring the great outdoors with her family.
Chris Barge – Executive Director
- Catalyst
- Adventurer
- Writer
Chris draws energy equally from meeting new people, mountain biking through pine forests and settling in with a new book. He joined the Boulder Library Foundation team after 10 years in newspapers and 13 years with Community Foundation Boulder County.
Lisa McClellan – Administrative Assistant
- Learner
- Singer
- Mother
Lisa brings over 10 years of nonprofit and for-profit administrative experience to the Boulder Library Foundation team. She is passionate about lifelong learning and supporting inclusive spaces and experiences. She enjoys singing, reading and exploring the great outdoors with her family.
Partners
Libraries welcome EVERYONE, so we invite everyone to support libraries. Please get in touch if you see an opportunity for us to work together.
