The regional library ended its biennial Adopt-a-Book campaign last week nearly 50 percent above the goal of 1,000 books. Across the system’s 10 branches, 1,434 new books are now circulating as a result of donations from individuals, community organizations and corporate sponsors, who contributed $34,151.26 during the three-month campaign.
“The bottom line is expenses keep going up … that tends to bite into the book budget and that’s where we really need the help,” said public relations manager Ian White.
The Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Library in Yarmouth is the largest library in the system, so it is perhaps not surprising that it accounted for 521 adoptions. But White says the support goes right across the system.
“It is just humbling to see how generous people are.” - Ian White
He points to a group of students in Westport who raised enough through their own fundraising efforts to adopt four books.
“It is just humbling to see how generous people are,” he said.
In addition to donations for books, the library
The campaign, which is sponsored by CJLS radio, has now been running since the 1990s and Comeau says patrons have come to anticipate the biennial event.
“It works really well,” she says.
White agrees.
“It’s the easiest place to connect with people in terms of fundraising. It is a great gift and it just keeps on giving,” he said.
