By Amanda Borden | Library Director
Your library has exciting news! Three years ago, we completed a comprehensive strategic plan where we learned that the Hoover Library was still not easily accessible in different areas of our community. Many have limited opportunities to utilize our services and programs because of unintentional barriers such as distance from the library, lack of transportation or awareness of library services.
To help alleviate some of this burden, the Hoover Library would like to invest in a state-of-the-art mobile library to travel all over our community taking remote services, resources and programs to every person in our city. As this project requires financial assistance beyond the library’s established budget, we asked for the creation of an independent foundation.
Under the leadership of Library Board member Ruth Cole, we have officially established the Hoover Library Foundation. Its mission is to benefit, promote and enhance the vision of the Hoover Public Library by raising private funds to supplement the library’s budget and to encourage the development of meaningful community projects and services. Working with Ruth as founding board members are Mark Vines, Sara Rast, Peggy Darby, Ray Fitzpatrick and Derrick Murphy.
The Foundation, having received non-profit status, has agreed to make raising funds for this project its first goal. The cost of creating the mobile library is approximately $250,000. This includes the truck, equipment and supplies.
Even as work begins on our current project, we realize this is just one way in which we can help reach our community. Future projects might include a remote locker system, book vending machines, Makerspaces, new technology and renovation of existing space. We have so many possibilities.
We hope you are as delighted as we are to have this new foundation working to help us achieve our mission of being more than a library to everyone in our community. We believe there are many citizens and community businesses who would appreciate the opportunity to lend support to the library through a private donation or future bequest.
If you would like to contribute to the Hoover Library Foundation or simply learn more about it or our mobile library, email us at give@hooverlibraryfoundation.org. Our website and online giving will be live soon; in the meantime, be sure to like and follow us on Facebook @hooverlibraryfoundation.
I thank you for your continued support and look forward to seeing you at the library again soon!
