Unrestricted funds to support emerging needs of local libraries
The California-based Anspar Foundation has awarded a $25,000 unrestricted grant to the Library Foundation for Sarasota County “to support emerging needs of local public libraries,” the Library Foundation has announced.
“Anspar President Michael Lewis, a Sarasota native and a 1990 graduate of Pine View School, was inspired to give back to the community he once called home,” a news release explains.
“Growing up in Sarasota, I always considered going to the library to be a treat, so I know how important and valued libraries are to the community,” he said in the release. “I’m pleased the Anspar Foundation can play a role in helping to secure their future,” Lewis added.
“Non-designated charitable giving plays an important role in ensuring the Library Foundation has the flexibility to act on emergent library needs and opportunities,” the release points out.
“We’re grateful for this incredibly generous gift from the Anspar Foundation,” said Alisa Mitchell, executive director of the Library Foundation for Sarasota County, in the release. “The past two years have demonstrated how critical unrestricted gifts like this are in helping us respond quickly to unexpected needs within the library system, whether it’s for increased digital collections or improved technology,” she added in the release.
Since its founding in 2011, the nonprofit Library Foundation has raised more than $8 million in private funds for the benefit of Sarasota County public libraries, the release notes. To learn more about the Library Foundation for Sarasota County and how people can support its mission, visit SarasotaLibraryFoundation.org or call 941-404-3139.