Every Penny

December 4 2023 Day 34

Just the other day, as I was leaving an event at the elementary school, a patron I know approached me as I was sitting in my car. She was apologetic.

She wanted to make a donation to the library for us to put toward our expansion fundraising drive, but she was worried we wouldn’t accept it.

“What do you mean,” I asked.

“I’ve been cleaning out my father’s house,” she explained, “and I came across a couple jars of pennies. I don’t know how much is actually in them, but I know he loved the library. I just felt weird giving you pennies.”

I told her that would be a wonderful gesture and we would gladly and humbly accept literally any donation.

“We have our own donation jar on the counter in the library,” I told her, “and it says Every penny counts.”

I’ve been thinking about her lately. As our fundraising campaign begins the process of reaching out to business and institutional donors, this first phase has left me amazed at our regular patrons, the everyday folk who come in day in and day out. The one’s that leave me checks for $20, or $100 or who donate cake pans, or want to memorialize a window or book shelf to a loved one.

Or the one’s who drop off jars of pennies.

After a rough couple budget weeks of hitting the realities of working toward getting a Bond Warrant approved for the town to vote on, it’s critical that I keep my eye on patrons like the one who thought of us first when she stumbled upon those jars.

Investing in your town’s public library is a pretty smart gamble, an investment that offers the community information and ideas and connection.

And the cost? Pennies.