Welcoming New Leaders to Our Board |
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We’re excited to introduce five new members of the Library Foundation Board of Directors: Deborah Ayres, Ann Olson, Lisa Silvershein, Caroline Strickland, and Larry Wickless. Each brings unique expertise, fresh perspective, and a deep passion for public libraries. Together, we look forward to expanding opportunities that strengthen and support Sarasota County’s libraries—ensuring they remain vibrant, welcoming spaces for everyone in our community. Read more about this incredible new cohort and our entire Board of Directors here.
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Thanks to a generous $100,000 anonymous gift to the Library Foundation, the Sarasota County History Center is taking a major leap forward in preserving local history and making it accessible to all. This donation will fund new large-format digitization equipment to capture maps, artwork, and other oversized archival treasures, while also launching a new Memory Lab at the Osprey Library. The Memory Lab will give community members the opportunity to digitize their own photos, videos, audio recordings, and more—with expert staff support. This remarkable investment ensures that Sarasota County’s history will be preserved and shared for generations to come. Learn more here.
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Thank You, Harry Shapiro Charitable Foundation! |
We’re grateful to the Harry Shapiro Charitable Foundation for supporting this summer’s Artists in the Libraries series, which offered 46 programs that welcomed more than 800 participants. This generous gift allowed the libraries to expand collaborations with local arts organizations such as the Classical Ballet Academy of North Port, Venice Art Center, Sarasota Ballet, Ringling Museum, Venice Theatre, and others. These wonderful partnerships transformed library spaces into stages, studios, and classrooms—bringing the community to life with dance, theater, visual art, and music!
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Make a Will, Make an Impact for Our Libraries |
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Our libraries remind us every day that access to knowledge can change lives. During National Make-A-Will Month, we invite you to protect what matters most — the people you love and the values you cherish. To help, we’re offering a free will-writing resource so you can create a lasting legacy for the causes close to your heart, including libraries. You can also join the many library lovers using this tool to designate beneficiaries for assets such as an IRA, 401(k) or insurance policy—an easy way to make a lasting impact with just a few simple steps.
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Your Voice Can Help Protect Our Libraries |
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Every day, Sarasota County Libraries open doors to knowledge, connection, and opportunity. Your voice can help protect critical public funding for libraries. Visit our Take Action webpage to learn how to advocate for the resources that keep our libraries strong, and read Executive Director Alisa Mitchell's Herald-Tribune Op-Ed here. We're grateful for your partnership in this important work!
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Great communities
deserve great libraries. |
Your tax-deductible gift helps ensure the future of our libraries as an indispensable community resource. Learn about all the ways to give here. Thank you for your generous support. |
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We champion strong public libraries, support innovation and help to extend the library system’s reach for everyone in Sarasota. |
The Library Foundation for Sarasota County is a qualified tax exempt charity under §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and is registered with the Florida Department of Agriculture Consumer Services under §496.405, Registration No. CH35489 |
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