CLSC donates $7,000 to Library of Graham, Friends of the Library

The Library of Graham and Friends of the Library were presented $7,000 last week from funding raised through the Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Club annual Tour of Homes.

Three area homes and a local business were showcased as part of the CLSC Tour of Homes held Dec. 13, 2023, which serves as a fundraiser for the library.

During the CLSC meeting held Wednesday, Jan. 24 a check for $5,500 was presented from CLSC President Peggy Sonnenberg to Library Director DeAnna Bullock and for $1,500 to Friends of the Library Secretary Weta Phillips.

The library director said the CLSC donation will support children’s programs, including the Summer Reading program, preschool story time, Santa at the Library and new books for all audiences.

“Without the support of the CLSC and other donors, we couldn’t have a library such as this,” Bullock said. “The city funds the library’s basic operations, which is staffing and facilities, but everything inside the library—technology, wi-fi, books and other media—relies on grants or private donations. This library wouldn’t be what it is without donor support.”

Bullock said the library receives memorial donations each year honoring loved ones. When the library receives a donation of $25 a name is placed inside a new book to honor who made the donation or who they are memorializing.

The Friends of the Library of Graham is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the library as a community resource. Bullock said the organization’s donations this year covered the expenses of the digital collection through the Libby application.

“Patrons can check out ebooks, audiobooks, and digital magazines using our Libby app,” Bullock said. “People love the ebooks and audiobooks. We combine our resources with the North Texas Library Consortium, and that is how we can offer so many more ebooks and audiobooks.”

The funding presented by CLSC to Friends of the Library is for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library which is also administered by the organization. The Imagination Library program was implemented in the Library of Graham in 2007 and supports children from birth to age 5, who will receive a book a month by mail for free.

“Building literacy is one of the most important factors for success in school for young children,” Bullock said. “It’s simple to sign up, our Friends of the Library group takes care of the funding for that program and it’s free to all children in our community.”

Parents can enroll in the program by visiting imaginationlibrary.com.

Bullock said the library serves as a community hub and provides an important resource for all in the area.

“In a small community like ours, it’s important to provide access to information and knowledge that supports our citizens and encourages literacy,” Bullock said. “Think about how much you need to read to function in our society—or how much technology is needed to complete basic personal tasks, like paying a bill online or verifying your account. You would be surprised at how many people need to print a document, and this is one of the many services we have for the public. That is why we need public libraries.”