Library Fundraising Tops $1 Million

The Foundation, Inc. announced this week that generous community response to a fall appeal, including several large gifts and pledges, has brought the library's capital campaign past the $1 million mark. The Foundation has a goal of raising $1.5 million in private funds by the end of January, 2012.

Foundation chairman Hunter Moorman said that private giving to the library project now hovers beyond 2/3 of the target. "People have given freely, not only financially, but also of their time and talents," he said. "It's been a community-wide effort in every sense of the word. We've come very far very quickly, but there's no time to relax and celebrate. We've got just ten weeks left to meet our final deadline."

Events to raise money for the library project are ongoing, including a newly-announced campaign whereby donors can have names and messages inscribed into bricks in the walkway leading to the library entrance. Higher-level naming opportunities are available as well. Tony Horwitz, author of the newly-published book Midnight Rising, will give a talk at on Tuesday, November 29 as part of the library-benefiting .

Seed money for the library project came from a building fund originally amassed over the years by the Friends of the West Tisbury Library, who are leaving the capital campaign in the hands of the foundation. In July of this year, the town learned that it would receive a $2.98 million construction grant from the state, to cover approximately half the cost of expanding and renovating the old library building. To cover the remainder of the $6 million project cost, library trustees expect to ask for a $1.5 million contribution from the town at the annual town meeting in April 2012.