ANN ARBOR – Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library is broadening its community impact with a new membership program, a partnership with Michigan Medicine and a $25,000 donation to the Ann Arbor District Library.
The nonprofit’s large donation will help fund the library system’s 2023 Summer Game and other free community programs.
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“We take pride in the efforts of community members who have had passion to support the library these past 70 years by donating time, money, or materials to the Friends. Though the pandemic significantly impacted our fundraising goals, our dedicated volunteers and generous supporters have sustained us, allowing us to begin once again providing financial contributions to the library,” said Friends director Rachel Pastiva in a release.
Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library was formed in 1953. Its first-ever fundraiser for the Ann Arbor District Library in 1954 only raised $348. Since then it has helped to pay for the library system’s first bookmobile, and opened a shop, at 343 S. Fifth Ave., in the downtown branch of the library.
It regularly holds fundraisers and sells books, movies, board games to help fund community programs including the Summer Game, writing contests and AAPS Second Grade Visits to the library.
The nonprofit is also launching a new membership campaign with new ways for members to give to the library and new membership incentives.
It is partnering with the Department of Pediatrics at Michigan Medicine to encourage literacy and a passion for reading. Around 600 books will be given to outpatient pediatric clinics through the Reach Out and Read program.
Learn more about Friends of the Ann Arbor District Library here.