Right now, many folks across the country might feel some anxiety about the future of libraries. If you are among this group, you are not alone.

Libraries have been facing escalating censorship, budget cuts, and meeting the needs of their patrons that are left unfilled by other sectors for some time. Recently, Cindy Hohl, President of the American Library Association (ALA), shared the following: “Whatever happens [in the coming years], ALA will stand up for all Americans’ freedom to read – and we will need everyone who loves libraries to stand with us.”

As a supporter of Eugene Public Library Foundation, you know that our library provides many benefits to our community:

Books, resources, programming, and most importantly, a safe, welcoming space for all people – without regard to age, background, or economic status. In a time when so much of our information is increasingly siloed according to algorithms, or hidden behind paywalls or subscription-based services, libraries stand as a beacon of free and open access to knowledge – one of the last remaining “third spaces” where individuals can gather, learn, and connect.

Our award-winning Eugene Public Library (EPL) is not merely a nice-to-have amenity. Our library is an essential part of our community that ensures that literacy is not a privilege but a right for all.

In the past fiscal year, almost 2.8 million materials were circulated. And the downtown location and branches in Bethel and Sheldon had 834,640 visits.

Any given day at Eugene Public Library, you will find:

• Adult patrons accessing resources that help them find jobs, pursue their educational goals, and improve their lives.

• Young visitors finding books about things that interest them, igniting a love of learning and reading that will last a lifetime.

• EPL Staff fostering community engagement and cultural awareness through captivating and enriching programming.

Our library provides all of this and more without asking for anything in return, other than the commitment of our community to keep it alive and thriving. But our library needs your help.

Eugene Public Library has been facing some big challenges, with budget cuts so severe that the City of Eugene’s General Fund no longer covers the cost of acquiring the very materials that libraries require to run!

Collections for use by patrons -- not just books, but also electronic check-outs, magazines, DVDs, CDs, subscription services, and items for the Library of Things -- which cost about $750,000 per year, are the very core of library services that have been cut from the City’s budget.

Additionally, staffing levels are the lowest they have been in over 15 years, even as the library serves a larger and more diverse population.

This means that Eugene Public Library is increasingly reliant on external support – through generous donors like you – to meet the needs of the community.

Your donation to Eugene Public Library Foundation is an investment in our collective future, ensuring that the library can continue to serve our community. Your voice is also needed: your advocacy can help raise awareness about the importance of the library and encourage our city leaders to prioritize its funding.  

Whatever you can do to stand for Eugene Public Library – lending your voice, sharing your resources, or both – thank you for your work to ensure that it will be here for generations to follow.