Help Create a Cultural Communities Fund

ALA is currently in the final stages of raising funds for a matching grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. This grant would be used by the ALA Public Programs Office (PPO) to create the Cultural Communities Fund, which would be the nation's first and only endowment to support libraries in establishing and expanding cultural programs. This would allow the PPO to have a dependable source of support for their initiatives. In the past 5 years, the PPO has provided more than $6 million in direct support to libraries across the country, including libraries in Colorado Springs (Regis University), Littleton (Chatfield HS), and Mancos (Mancos Public Library). As a state, we have already benefitted from their work, and now is our chance to secure this support for the future.

According to the terms of the NEH grant, ALA must meet a goal of $1.4 million in pledges and contributions by July 31st, 2008. They have already raised over $1 million, but need an additional $310,000 to make the goal. On behalf of ALA, I'm asking you to make a donation or pledge today. Pledges may be paid through December 31st, 2008, so if your wallet's light right now, you can still support this worthy cause by signing up now and paying later. You could even consider donating your stimulus check -- what better way to use this windfall than to support libraries! For every three dollars raised by ALA, the NEH will contribute another dollar, so we can maximize our dollars if we meet this deadline.

Unlike other pledge drives, ALA can't give you a coffee mug, and librarians already have enough tote bags (I have 12 in my office alone). However, with your support, ALA's Cultural Community Fund will be giving back to libraries for years to come. To read more about this initiative, and to pledge online, please visit http://www.ala.org/ccf.