Madison Public Library Foundation Board President Tanya Salman has deep roots in serving the community through her involvement with the organization. In order to ensure future library users can continue to rely on robust services in their community, Salman committed a legacy gift and joined Epilogue Circle, the foundation’s group of gift planning donors.
“I love libraries!” Salman said. “I especially love our Madison Public Library. I want to make sure that even beyond my lifetime, I can continue to contribute to a stronger library and community. It’s an investment in the future of our city.”
Since attending Central Library’s reopening gala to unveil the $30 million renovation of the flagship library in 2013, Salman knew she wanted to become more involved. Former foundation Executive Director Jenni Jeffress invited Salman to join the planning committee for Rock and Read, a past family fundraiser that benefited the library’s summer reading program.
It wasn’t long before Salman’s involvement grew exponentially. She joined the Lunch for Libraries Planning Committee, the Donor Development Committee, the Ex Libris Planning Committee, the Wizards in Wonderland (a former foundation fundraiser) Planning Committee, and eventually, the foundation Board of Directors.
“Libraries are important to me because I think everyone should have a place they can go and learn,” Salman said, “and that’s the library.”
Though Salman is deeply involved with the foundation through service as board President and membership on several library committees, her lifelong experiences as a library user also contributed to her decision to become an Epilogue Circle donor. She has fond memories of making weekend trips with her dad to her neighborhood library in Michigan, where she checked out all the books she could get her hands on — in particular, anything Roald Dahl. Now that she has her own family, Salman’s weekends are often filled with visits to Pinney Library’s kids’ section and PlayLab.
Though the world around her has changed, libraries have remained constant.
“Even as technology advances, libraries are still just as essential and relevant today,” Salman said. “Why? Libraries are a safe space. Libraries provide a sense of community. Libraries are filled with information that everyone and anyone can access. They promote equity, literacy, and learning.”
Madison Public Library Foundation is incredibly grateful to Epilogue Circle members like Salman for their dedication to supporting the library’s mission through gift planning. We greatly appreciate their commitment to enhancing educational programs, building collections, investing in staff, improving facilities, and building the endowment to ensure the future livelihood of our libraries.
To learn more about the value of gift planning and what kinds of gifts — from stock to annuities — our foundation accepts, visit our Gift Planning page.