What a year!

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View this email in your browser What a Year! Now more than ever, we’re so grateful for our public library system. Whether it’s providing online programming to keep our community connected, helping our neighbors complete CARES applications, or making high-speed internet available to job seekers and students, our libraries have done so much to help us through an extraordinarily challenging year. Holiday Shopping … There’s Still Time!   Looking for a holiday gift for someone who has everything … or who has read everything? How about making a gift in their name to the Library Foundation? With the need for digital resources greater than ever this year, and with an eBook costing four times as much as a print book, it is truly a gift to our public libraries that keeps giving. Gifts of $25 can provide….1 children’s audio book Gifts of $50 can provide….2 puppets for an online storytime Gifts of $75 can provide….2 young adult ebooks Gifts of $100 can provide….1 week of access to the libraries’ technology tutorial site Gifts of $250 can provide….5 eBooks for the libraries’ digital collection Make a Holiday Gift Looking for Something Special to Do With Your Valentine This February? Then join us for our Library Celebration on February 9th, 2021 when we’ll be showing our love and appreciation for Sarasota County Libraries and everyone who works to support them. Learn More Supporting an Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive Community Investing in Library Collections We’re grateful to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County for investing in the libraries’ Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts to better serve everyone in our community. Thanks to a generous grant from the Edward K. Roberts Emerging Needs Fund, the library will be able to purchase new materials by diverse authors. Books foster learning, increase understanding of other cultures, and provide enrichment for all ages. This gift will help our library system build collections that reflect diverse voices, engage readers, and encourage conversations around social issues. The Venice Yacht Club Foundation Supports Our Libraries In November we received a donation from the Venice Yacht Club Foundation to support early literacy activities at the Jacaranda Public Library. Thanks to the generous VYC members, the Jacaranda Library will be able to purchase additional resources to help support our community’s youngest learners and their families. Libraries and UF College of Engineering STEM Partnership Sarasota County Libraries and the University of Florida College of Engineering are partnering to provide STEM training to library staff who work with the libraries’ Creation Stations, powered by the Barancik Foundation. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with the University of Florida on this unique training initiative,” said Renee DiPilato, Director of Sarasota County Libraries and Historical Resources. “Staff will get to experiment with different equipment and software, while learning instructional methods for educating library users. This is an exciting development for us, as we hope to reopen our Creation Stations in the coming months and launch new programming.” Read the Full Story Want to see Creation Stations in action? Check out our photos below or visit our website. Looking for a Good Book Recommendation? We asked board member Dr. Lou Bertha Mckenzie-Wharton what she’s been reading lately.   The book I’m recommending is one of my son’s books. A Post-Racial Change is Gonna Come, by Dr. Jonathan L. Wharton, is a political and historical case study of Newark, New Jersey’s change to transformative politics from 1950 to Mayor Cory Booker’s rise to power. It offers an analysis of mayoral elections, community development and coalition building that often appeared elusive in solving longstanding urban problems. I found this book interesting and thought-provoking because it presented various perspectives regarding urban problems and approaches on how to solve them. This book may also help the reader to better understand urban politics and the beginnings of the Post-Civil Rights Era Black politics in which we now find ourselves. Board Member Peter Pearson Gives Update on Libraries in WSLR Interview Library Foundation for Sarasota County board member Peter Pearson appeared as a guest on 96.5 FM WSLR’s Peace & Justice Report Dec. 9 to discuss the state of Sarasota County’s libraries and the challenges they face in this extraordinary year. With show hosts Tom Walker and Bob Connors, Pearson, who is also chair of the foundation’s Community Advocacy Team (CAT), discussed the state of library funding, the myriad services libraries offer today and how they are being affected by the pandemic. Pearson also discussed the best ways to give to help support Sarasota County libraries, and how the Library Foundation for Sarasota County aids the libraries in serving the community.   Listen to the Interview! Year End Giving Made Easy Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCD) If you are 70.5 or older with a traditional IRA, you are eligible to make a tax-free gift directly from your IRA to the Library Foundation for Sarasota County. Regardless of whether or not you itemize deductions on your tax return, gifts from your IRA are always tax-free. Use our online resource to make your gift online and learn more about the benefits of tax-free giving   Gifts of Stocks and Securities Many donors prefer to make gifts of appreciated stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or exchange traded funds because it can have a large impact on our mission, while maximizing potential tax benefits by avoiding paying tax on capital gains. If you would like to transfer your appreciated stocks online, you can use our online tool to walk you through the process in less than 5 minutes. Or, if you would prefer to work directly with your broker, follow the instructions on the tool to access our account information. Any questions? Please contact Alisa Mitchell at Alisa.Mitchell@SarasotaLibraryFoundation.org or 941-404-4985 today. Hot Off the Press DreamLarge helps Library Foundation for Sarasota County launch strategic rebrand, website Sarasota Herald-Tribune After several months of working together, the organizations have developed a platform designed to help the Library Foundation better support, educate and advocate for Sarasota County Public Libraries. Read More. DreamLarge Helps Library Foundation for Sarasota County Launch Strategic Rebrand SRQ Magazine "Libraries need our help." It's a tagline that cuts to the chase and grabs your attention - especially if you're an avid reader and book lover by heart.  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.  Make a Donation Today As the Library Foundation for Sarasota County, our mission is to secure the future of our libraries as an indispensable community service. The Library Foundation for Sarasota County is a qualified tax exempt charity under §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture Consumer Services under §496.405, Registration No. CH35489 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. © 2020 Library Foundation for Sarasota County.  All rights reserved.