Graves Library Annual Appeal Letter – 2024-2025
Dear Friends:
“Public libraries are the heart and soul of any community.” – Author Mary McNear
As my tenure on the board ends this year, I have come to appreciate all that our beloved library offers that makes it truly the core of our community. Our community center.
On any given day, you might find patrons and visitors attending talks, buying and borrowing books, listening to story time, taking a class, researching online, warming up or cooling down, meeting authors (maybe even twins!), working remotely, tutoring students, learning about wild animals, holding yoga poses, making crafts, getting health tips from the town nurse, knitting sweaters, and yes – reading.
This hub of activity is made possible by the steadfast commitment of Director Mary-Lou Boucouvalas, who has served multiple generations of library families over the past twenty-six years. Children’s Librarian Terri Bauld has been assisting and entertaining young readers for more than a decade.
They are joined by a small but equally dedicated group of employees who, along with invaluable help from more than 65 volunteers, provide a wide variety of public services, programs, and events – often after regular hours.
Above all, I have learned the library could not keep its doors open without the essential support provided by friends like you. Did you know Graves Library is responsible for funding a larger portion of its operating budget – more than 60 percent – than the vast majority of libraries in Maine?
The more you are able to help, the less Graves Library has to rely on holding supplemental fundraisers and dipping into reserves to make ends meet. Plans to expand the staff, improve inside and outside functionality, and keep pace with new technologies have been on the wish list for years, awaiting the means to achieve them.
We set an ambitious goal last year of raising $100,000 and are deeply grateful to report we met that! We are asking for your help again, this time with a stretch goal of $110,000. No gift is too small. Every dollar raised goes directly toward the daily operation of the library.
Pledge $25 (or more) monthly or give at least $100 as a first-time donor and receive our two-volume history book set Kennebunkport: The Evolution of an American Town as our thanks for being a sustaining or new supporter.
Your investment in Graves Library helps ensure that our small but mighty library will remain exactly where it belongs for years to come. At the center of our community.
With Sincere Appreciation,
Connie Dykstra, President, Board of Trustees