A Stronger Foundation to Better Serve Our Libraries
|
|
|
Notice anything different about our newsletter?
We’re excited to share with you the Library Foundation’s new look and new website, which you can explore here. Now more than ever, we wanted to find a clear, concise way to tell the stories of the libraries, while making it easier for people to engage with the Foundation and show their support for our public library system.
With the generous and visionary help of DreamLarge, we’ve created a new look and new tools to help us (and you!) support, educate and advocate for Sarasota libraries.
There are so many wonderful things happening in our libraries and so many ways people are contributing to our libraries’ success — we’re grateful to have the opportunity to share those stories. At a time when many of us are spending more time online, we hope these new tools help you stay connected to the work of the libraries and the Foundation.
Let us know what you think at Hello@SarasotaLibraryFoundation.org.
|
|
Alisa Mitchell Executive Director
|
|
Save the Date!
Please join us as we celebrate all the ways our library system has helped our community navigate the challenges of this extraordinary year.
|
|
|
We’ve transitioned this year to a virtual celebration on February 9th from 1-2 PM, with special guest author Susan Orlean. Ms. Orlean will be interviewed by our community’s very own Charlie Huisking, as they discuss her book, “The Library Book.”
Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor Gulf Coast Community Foundation and other generous sponsors, this virtual celebration will be free and open to everyone in the community – just like our public libraries.
Look for more information soon about registration. If you’d like to learn more about sponsorship opportunities, please contact Alisa Mitchell, Executive Director, at Alisa.Mitchell@SarasotaLibraryFoundation.org or 941-404-4985.
|
|
Welcome, Daniela!
We’re delighted to welcome our new student board member, Daniela Rodriguez.
|
|
Daniela is a bi-lingual senior at Riverview High School who is currently learning a third language, Chinese. She was born in Mexico and is the oldest of four children.
“I come from a big family, but when I moved to the United States it was just my mother, my father and my sister. I did not speak a word of English, but I was given a book by a teacher that made me realize there are so many places you can go and so many things you can learn by just opening a book. I want to help young readers like me experience what a book can do and how unexpectedly it can help you grow.”
|
|
|
Gifts to Support Early Literacy
|
|
A big thank you to the Koski Family Foundation for supporting the libraries’ AWE Early Literacy Stations.
|
|
These AWE stations provide an excellent way for children to build their computer skills and become comfortable with technology, while also learning letters, colors, music and numbers. These stations are also a wonderful way for parents who may struggle with English or low-literacy to learn beside their young children, creating a warm experience that reinforces a parent’s important role as their child’s first teacher.
The current AWE stations are several years old and have been extremely well-loved – it’s a priority of the libraries to update them, especially as technical skills become increasingly important to learning. If you’d like to learn more about ways to support this initiative, please contact Executive Director Alisa Mitchell.
|
|
Libraries Respond to Critical Need for Digital Access
|
|
We’re so proud of the way our libraries continue to innovate to serve more people, especially in challenging times.
This recent article in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune highlights how our library system is now loaning out WiFi hotspots, which are in incredibly high demand. There are many parts of our county with limited internet access, which makes remote learning, job seeking and other critical tasks very difficult.
With these hotspots the library hopes to make it easier for residents to connect to essential services and information.
|
|
Looking for a good book recommendation?
We asked Board member Kat Hughes what she’s been reading lately.
|
|
It has been a long eight months of cancellations during the pandemic. No vacations. No parties. No performances.
The good news? More time for my favorite pastime: reading, of course.
If you’re feeling pains of wanderlust, I recommend “A Year in Provence” by Peter Mayle. The story follows two Brits who make that region of France their new home. It’s a great escape to a lovely, funny and uncomplicated world.
|
|
|
“The Nightingale,” by Kristin Hannah is the story of two sisters’ struggle and acts of resistance in World War II. It provides perspective about challenging times while absorbing you into a story that’s both heartbreaking and heartwarming.
Lastly, because I can’t visit the West in person this year, I reread “The Emerald Mile,” by Kevin Fedarko. You’ll learn the history of the Grand Canyon, the dam engineering that led to the development of the West and the indomitable spirit of those who raft the rapids of the Colorado River. It’s nonfiction that will have you breathlessly turning the pages to find out what happens next.
|
|
Tax-Free Giving for the End
of the Year
Qualified Charitable Distribution
|
|
|
If you are 70 1⁄2 or older with a traditional IRA, you may be eligible to support the Sarasota Library Foundation with a tax-free gift called a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). These gifts are always tax free, regardless of whether or not you itemize deductions in your return. To make your QCD, we invite you to visit our website and use our free tool, where you can easily:
- Make a gift online
- Request a tax acknowledgement letter for a QCD you’ve already made
- Download the forms you need if you’d prefer to finalize your QCD offline
- Learn more about QCDs and giving from your IRA to see if it’s right for you!
If you are ready to give from your IRA, be sure to mail your forms to your IRA custodian by December 15th, 2020 to ensure your gift is processed for the 2020 tax year.
|
|
|
|
|
Sarasota County libraries look to the Internet to boost digital literacy
The closures challenged the county library system to rethink the way it continued to offer public services.
Read More.
|
|
|
|
Sarasota County Libraries Find New Ways to Serve Families
Sarasota County youth librarians adapt their storytime programs to online to stay in touch with kids.
Read More.
|
|
|
|
|
Great communities
deserve great libraries.
|
|
Your tax-deductible gift helps ensure the future of our libraries as an indispensable community resource. Click on the button below to make a credit card donation, or click here to learn about more ways to give.
Thank you for your generous support.
|
|
|
|
|
