It’s been two months since our last update, which may feel longer as everyone’s been focused on staying safe and providing for loved ones — a fact that will continue for some time. Nonethess, while we all adapt to the length and complexity of this disruption, we want to maintain our commitment to keep you up to date on the library’s funding, just as we have every month since early 2019.
The latest numbers place private funding at $14,369, or 13.3% of the goal through the first quarter. That includes $7,424 for January (as reported in our last update), $2,828 for February, and $4,117 for March. Though the library was closed the second half of March, these figures don’t yet reflect the impact we’re likely to see in the months ahead as COVID-19 financial repercussions unfold.
Being closed naturally reduces some of the library’s expenses, and we have applied for the federal Paycheck Protection Program for assistance. The board is also reviewing this year’s budget for other ways to address the potential gap in funding.
Look for April results here next month.
Thank you for your support as we navigate the future together.
Note: For new readers, or anyone who’d like a refresher on what private funding is and why it’s so important to the library, check out ‘Where does the library get its money?’ and ‘A decade of library financials’ from our blog archives.
