A man with glasses sits in a chair, speaking into a microphone during an event. Behind him is a large banner with an image of an older woman and a young girl at a library, with text referencing the Library Foundation and Santa Clara County.
A smiling woman with dark hair wearing a red jacket and white top, seated at a table during a social event.
Three women smiling and posing for a photo at a formal event with many people in the background.
A man and woman smiling and posing together at an indoor event, with the man wearing glasses and a checkered blazer, and the woman wearing a maroon sweater and a beaded necklace.
A man with glasses, dressed in a suit, holding a microphone and speaking during a panel discussion or interview.
Three people seated at a dinner table smiling for the camera during a celebration or event.
A person is signing a paper with a quote from Harlin Gobe, reading, 'Rese the in order before Gobe.' The person is holding a blue pen, wearing a dark jacket. The table has a red brochure, a black item, a bottle of water, and a pen in the background.
Stacks of books titled 'Gone Before Goodbye' by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben on a table, with the cover featuring an eye and a blue background, inside a bookstore or event space with large windows and natural light.
An elderly woman is taking a selfie with a middle-aged man at an indoor event. The woman is holding a pink smartphone and wearing a white blouse with small polka dots. The man is smiling, wearing glasses, a checked blazer over a white shirt, and has
A man and woman smiling and posing together at a library fundraising event, with a sign in the background that says "Love Our Libraries" and a screen behind them.
Text reading "Love Our Libraries 2026 Author Luncheon" with a heart symbol.

We had a wonderful time celebrating our libraries with Harlan Coben and 600 friends at our 14th annual Love Our Libraries Author Luncheon! Together we raised a record-setting $556,730 to support Sarasota's amazing public libraries.

We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our many community partners, sponsors, and donors who helped to make this special event a tremendous success. Thank you!

Take a look at our 2026 luncheon video to see all the ways the library supports our community.

Featuring Harlan Coben

About Harlan Coben

Award-winning Author

Harlan Coben is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of the world’s leading storytellers. With over 90 million books in print, his novels are published in forty-six languages. Coben is also the creator and executive producer of many television shows, including the Netflix global hits Missing You, Fool Me Once, Stay Close, Safe, and The Stranger.

Winner of the Edgar, Shamus and Anthony Awards—the first writer to win all three—Coben's latest novel is GONE BEFORE GOODBYE, a collaboration with Oscar-Winning Actress Reese Witherspoon.  

Learn More About Harlan Coben
Learn More About Harlan Coben

2026 Event Photos

To see more photos, click here to view our album on Facebook.

Photos by Harry Sayer Media

Our Sponsors

This community celebration is made possible thanks to the generosity of our sponsors.

Presenting Sponsor

Logo of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, featuring a blue geometric house icon above the foundation's name.
A logo for Bookstore Sarasota featuring a large number 1 filled with tropical floral pattern, with stylized black outline text reading "Bookstore" and a small "Sarasota" underneath.

Meet the Author Reception Sponsor

Library Champion

A graphic featuring an open book with the name "Deborah Ayres" displayed on one of its pages in white text.
A graphic of an open book with the name 'Terry Brackett' inside it, in white text on a blue background.
Graphic of an open book with the name 'Constance Hake Davis' written on the pages.
A blue book icon with the names Joyce & Bill Fletcher written inside.
Gulf Coast Community Foundation logo with black background, black text for 'GULF COAST' and 'FOUNDATION', pink text for 'COMMUNITY'.
Graphic of an open book with the names Cheryl Gorelick and Noreene Storrie written on its pages in white text against a blue background.
Logo of the Husking Family Foundation with a stylized blue book and white text
A blue open book icon with the name "Rachel Jakes" in white text across the pages.
A graphic design with a blue book icon in the background and white text that says "Alexandra Jupin & John Bean."
Logo with blue background and white text reading, 'Sarabeth Kalajian & Scott Litherland' inside a stylized speech bubble.
An open book graphic with the name Janet Matthews written on it in white text.
An open book graphic with the name Leslie Pemberton written across the pages
A graphic of a blue open book with the names 'Mark Steinwachs & Jarred Wilson' in white text on the pages.
An open book graphic with the names Charlie Ann Syrett and Susan Palmer written inside.

Literary Lion

Logo for the Charles and Margery Barrick Foundation in blue text on a white background.
An orange speech bubble with an open book graphic in a darker orange shade behind white text that reads "Sarah & Paul Karon".
A graphic of an open book with the text "Longboat Loves Libraries" inside a speech bubble shape.
Logo for Sage Advisors featuring stylized mountain peaks and the company name in purple text.
Graphic with orange speech bubble and an open book illustration showing the text 'Barbara & Al Siemer' in white, large font.
Caldwell Trust Company logo with a crest and the words "Personal, Traditional, Independent"

Library Lover

An open book icon with the names Ilene & David Denton written inside in white text on orange background.
A geometric heart made of interconnected lines in shades of purple and pink, with the word 'DREAMLARGE' written below in bold dark blue letters.
Logo of Bob & Pat Gussin, featuring an open book with an orange outline and background.
A graphic with an orange book-shaped speech bubble containing the text "Bill & Betsy Johnston" in white, bold font.
An orange speech bubble with a darker orange outline, containing the white text "Ann & Gary Olson" in bold letters.
An orange speech bubble with a book illustration and the text "Isabel Norton" inside.
A speech bubble with an orange border and background, containing the white text "Eileen Scudder" in the center.
Orange speech bubble with open book shape containing the names 'Caroline & Laura Strickland' in large white text.
An orange speech bubble with a book illustration and the text 'Hank & Barbara Tafaro' in white text.
An orange speech bubble with a book illustration and the text "Pauline Wamsler" inside.
An orange speech bubble with a book illustration and the text "Larry Wickless and Carole Crosby" in white text
A logo featuring an open red book with white text that reads "Debra Altlhul-Stark."

Bibliophile

The logo of Canandaigua National Trust Company in red, featuring a circular symbol with a 'C' and arrow design, accompanied by the company name and tagline.
Logo of HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital with a stylized orange cross on the left and hotel name in blue and orange text
Logo of an open book with the name 'Judy Liersch' on the pages.
A red open book graphic with white text inside reading 'Michael & Marie Pender'.
Logo of SweetSparkman, an architecture and interiors company, with black, white, red, and gray color scheme.
Williams Parker law firm logo with a blue circle containing white initials, and text stating 'Williams Parker Attorneys at Law Established 1925'.
Logo of a pink open book with the name 'Jeanne Tee' in white text on the pages.
An open book with a speech bubble shape in red with the names 'Anne & Alex Smith' in white text.
Logo of 'Observer' with the words East County, Longboat, Sarasota, Siesta Key underneath.
An open red book with the names 'Anita & Sidney Holec' written on its pages.
An open book graphic with a speech bubble outline in red, containing the name "Claudia Cardillo" in white text.
An open book icon with the name "Sandra Frank" written in white text.