2008 Love the Library Annual Campaign

You know the old proverb, “give a man a fish and feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for life.” The library is much like that proverbial fish – give someone a book and you enlighten them for a day, but give them a library and you enlighten them for life.  Buy a book and it may be read a time or two before being relegated to a shelf or the recycling, but a donation to the Rye Free Reading Room enlightens people by bringing a wealth of information to our community, year in and year out. 

The Rye Free Reading Room constantly works to make the best use of each and every dollar donated.  Through September 2008, the library added over 8000 new items to our collections – books, movies, music and other items that can be borrowed and enjoyed by the community over and over – as we live up to our promise to improve our collections.  We answered over 20,000 reference questions so far this year – everything from helping access a website to researching a local obituary – while serving your diverse needs.

But the library is so much more than just books and information.  From our picturesque setting on the Village Green, the Rye Free Reading Room led the county in the amount of programs we hosted for children and only three other libraries in the County provided more adult programs last year.  We’re doing even more to provide great program for kids, teens and adults this year – programs that bring best-selling authors like Lee Child and Benjamin Wallace, or great musical performers like Red Molly into the library; that let teens compete at Guitar Hero; that let over 400 little ones Catch the Reading Bug or enjoy drop-in crafts and games.  Where else in Rye can you enjoy a wine tasting led by Cai Palmer or participate in a Poets House poetry writing workshop, all for free?

But the tumultuous economic times have impacted the library and we need your help in order to continue.  With only 75% of our operating budget provided by the City, we must raise $220,000 this year to keep the library vital and responsive to the community’s needs.  Only with your tax-deductible donation can the library continue to offer excellent services seven days a week, enlarge our collections, improve our historic building and host free programs for everyone. 

Please donate today and show how much you Love the Library.

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