In case you didn’t hear, some very generous person — not sure who because they asked to remain anonymous — pledged $500,000 to the Seattle Public Library Foundation with only one catch: the public needs to match the total.
In response, the foundation kicked off its “Help Us Make $1 Million for the Library” campaign as outlined in an article by our news partner The Seattle Times.
The $500,000 donation came in after the 2010 mid-year library cuts were announced. The donor heard about it and had a representative call to ask for ways to help. The donor was especially concerned about how budget cuts would impact the community, in particular children and families who rely on Seattle’s public libraries for so much. The donor felt this would be a powerful way to inspire others in the community to step forward and support our library system.
The foundation’s goal is to raise $500,000 to match the gift by Dec. 31, 2010. To donate, go to foundation.spl.org or call 206-386-4130.
The Web site was experiencing difficulties earlier in the week — apparently so many people visiting to make donations! — so a couple of alternatives for donating have been set up: This Seattle Library Foundation alternate site or you can call 206-386-4130.