At the end of the year, many people are taking stock of what’s important to them. Take a few minutes to read some of the heartwarming comments donors left when supporting the library through online gifts this year:
- We found a $100 bill on the ground. It seemed right to donate it to our favorite place!
- Your support of voting and elections in libraries.
- Many of my best social activities happen at Lakeview Library.
- To keep open a valuable, free third space.
- Libraries are always and forever essential.
- My mother’s birthday is coming up, and she loved to read.
- I requested that the library (re)stock digital copies of a series I enjoy and wanted to contribute to the cost.
- Reading is fundamental!
- Hearing authors discuss their books, their inspiration, and their process is a wonderful experience!
- Everyone should be able to read, and libraries provide the books.
- I’m inspired by the critical importance of library access to all.
- The Sequoya Library helped introduce me to other new parents and ended up being the place I met one of my currently greatest friends.
This month, our foundation asks you to think about your “why” in giving. Whether it’s to borrow books, attend storytimes, create with the Bubbler’s Artists-in-Residence, or discover new authors at the Wisconsin Book Festival, we hope you’ll have many inspirations for demonstrating the value that Madison Public Library brings to your life, and to the lives of so many in our community.
Each contribution to our annual fund before December 31 will have double the impact, thanks to a $100,000 matching gift from several anonymous loyal donors!
The foundation’s annual fund supports core library areas, including the collection, technology, programming, staff training and development, Equity and Innovation projects, and mini-grants for smaller projects. Your past gifts made it possible for the foundation to provide nearly $200,000 toward the following projects and resources in 2024:
- Kanopy video streaming service
- staff career growth, from conferences to workshops
- books for the Prison Certified Peer Support (CPS) Book Group
- popular books, movies, and music for all ages and genres
- technology upgrades for the Bubbler to work with local schools
- programming, from cooking classes to artmaking
- community English classes in partnership with Literacy Network at Goodman South Madison Library and Meadowridge Library
Private donations of any amount help the library work through access barriers so every Madisonian can enjoy programs and services like these.
Make your gift on or by December 31 on our Donate page.