Last month was a good one for private funding, adding $16,286 and bringing the total through May 31 to $34,899. (You can find previous monthly updates here.)

The biggest boost came from the Friends of the Emmaus Public Library, which donated $11,000 from its April used-book sale, and another $2,600 to the library’s Summer Reading Club — with $1,600 to be used for children and teens, and $1,000 for adults. Thank you Friends!

With just one month to go before the halfway mark, results stand at 30.5 percent of the $114,453 goal. That figure represents a third of the library’s operating budget, with state and local funding making up the rest.

Private funding includes donations, fines, fees, contributions from the Friends, and anything outside of the funding the library gets from the state or the three municipalities it serves: Emmaus Borough, Macungie Borough and Upper Milford Township.

Despite the nice increase in May, the library still has 69.5 percent of this year’s goal to raise, with seven months to go. Want to help? Check out the list below for suggestions:

  • Mark your calendar for a Fall Wine Social scheduled for Sept. 27 at Brookside Country Club, and watch for more details coming soon.
  • Make a one-time donation through PayPal with any major credit or debit card.
  • Set up an automatic monthly donation for any amount (also through PayPal) to spread payments throughout the year.
  • Write a check to the Emmaus Public Library and drop it by or mail it to us at: 11 E. Main St., Emmaus, PA 18049.
  • Drop cash donations or spare change in the donation box at the front desk or in the donation jar at events.
  • If you shop at Amazon, use Amazon Smile and choose Emmaus Public Library to have the library receive a small percentage of your purchase at no cost to you.
  • Donate gift cards to purchase craft or office supplies, or to be used as prizes for Summer Reading Clubs.
  • Buy a K-cup and enjoy a hot coffee, tea or cocoa while you browse for books — now just $1 for the summer!
  • Donate your time and talents to the library by becoming one of our awesome volunteers. Fill out a Volunteer Interest Form and drop it off at the desk.

Thank you for your support! Stay tuned for the June figures in late July!