The Westport Library has officially launched its 2024-25 annual appeal, with the goal of raising $325,000 to secure full funding for the Library’s operations and allow us to continue to provide the vast majority of our programming for free or at low cost.
The theme for this year’s appeal is “Invest in Lifelong Learning,” a nod to the Library’s mission of empowering the individual and strengthening the community through dynamic interaction and the lively exchange of ideas, and also our ongoing commitment to Verso University and the many programs we run regularly to promote personal growth and educational exploration.
The Town of Westport funds 77% of the Library’s operating budget. The remaining 23% is raised through special events and private donations like those provided during the annual appeal.
“This campaign is foundational to everything we do as a Library,” said Bill Harmer, Westport Library executive director. “It raises the funds we need to continue to provide exceptional programming and services. The contributions from our incredible patrons empower us to be the heart of our community, ensuring we can offer the majority of our events and lifelong learning initiatives free of charge or at a significantly reduced cost.”
Click here to donate today to support the annual appeal.
“Our annual appeal is a time-honored tradition that unites us in a common purpose: to ensure the vibrancy and vitality of the Library,” said Westport Library Development Director Robin Powell. “We hope this year the whole Westport community will join us in this tradition of giving. Please know that your contribution, no matter the size, makes a world of difference.”
The Library welcomes 350,000 visitors each year, making it one of the most highly trafficked destinations in Westport.
In the past year alone, the Library hosted an unforgettable Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration featuring Rev. Clarence B. Jones, the esteemed advisor to Dr. King who co-wrote the iconic “I Have a Dream” speech; a discussion with Pulitzer Prize winner Doris Kearns Goodwin; our Summer Learning program that engaged 1,000 children from grades 1-8 in STEAM activities, workshops, and lessons; multiple joint initiatives with StartUp Westport to empower local entrepreneurs; a series of career coaching programs to help individuals achieve gainful and meaningful employment; regularly scheduled Anyone Can Use classes covering topics from social media marketing to how best to utilize Library resources and services; and an array of Verso University courses across diverse fields of study, including media, technology, literature, art, health, wellness, music, film, history, business, and lifestyle.
All told, hundreds of community members attended these courses, illustrating the Library’s commitment to providing accessible educational opportunities for all. The Library has also embraced Westport students, welcoming preschoolers through high schoolers and providing a safe study space and educational support.
“Our dedication to lifelong learning transcends age and geographical boundaries, encompassing the entire community and acknowledging that education is an enduring pursuit,” Harmer said. “We have evolved into a dynamic learning hub that offers an extensive array of programs, services, and resources to meet the diverse needs of our community members, from the very youngest to the most senior.”
In addition to its unparalleled reference librarians, remarkable children’s librarians, extraordinary patron services team, IT professionals, and more, the Library hosts more than 1,000 programs each year — programs that run the gamut from book groups and language groups to chess clubs and children’s reading programs. The Library also features Verso Studios, our in-house media and production hub, complete with a postproduction suite, plus a dazzling Library store, a fully stocked café, three separate art galleries that exhibit quarterly, a robust digital library that is available 24/7, a seed library, a Library of Things, 3D printing, a vinyl collection, DVD collection, audiobooks, board games, videogames, and more.
There are also regular evening offerings covering a wide variety of topics. Formats include lectures and author talks as well as performances and focused programming on particular topics of interest, not to mention StoryFest, VersoFest, BOOKED for the evening, WestportREADS, the spring and fall book sales, and the Library’s other tentpole programs, a great many of which are organized and executed alongside partner organizations from throughout the town.
All of which foster lifelong learning and enrich the Westport community, and all of which are supported by your gift to the 2024-25 annual appeal.
The annual appeal will run through January 2025. We will promote the appeal through a robust fundraising drive aimed both to raise money and to thank the community for its longtime support, with a social media campaign headlined by video testimonials from patrons of all ages, banners in and around the Library and downtown, inclusion in our 2023-24 annual report, select email marketing, and letters from the Library with handwritten notes of appreciation from members of both the Library staff and our board of trustees.
