The Prince Rupert Library is turning a page on the future with the initiation of a new fund within the Prince Rupert Regional Community Foundation.
“The purpose of the fund is to raise money for the future of the library by attracting larger donations and bequests and have it grow over the years,” said Chief Librarian Denise St. Arnaud.
An investment fund is something the library board has thought about creating for the last three years, but with decreased funding levels from the City of Prince Rupert, that has not been a possibility.
That all changed this week when the Friends of the Library, a volunteer group that fundraises for the library, donated $10,000 to the board, paving the way to set up the fund.
It’s a move Library Board Chair Adrienne Johnston described as the first little baby step toward thinking
ahead.
“I don’t want people to think we’re in the clear because we have this $10,000. Look around, you can see that this library is getting to the point that it’s going to burst. At some point we have to start thinking ahead and far ahead. You don’t build a library in three month lead time. You build a library with years of being ready,” Johnston said.
She also insisted she doesn’t want people to think the board is building a library right now or that despite the city’s hard times this board wants to build a new library.
“It’s not like that,” Johnston added.
According to Friends of the Library Chair Barb Leonard, the money was raised through its annual Novel Idea Auction, the Christmas Carol reading and used book
sales.
“It just shows the support in the community for the library,” said Leonard of the group’s fundraising efforts.
Johnston described the Friends of the Library as a shelter in the storm during tough economic times.
And it’s not the first time the group has been able to give money to library. In the last few years the group’s donations have purchased new furniture and equipment.
St. Arnaud said the new fund will be formally announced at the Prince Rupert Regional Community Foundation Dinner on March 12.