Outgoing and Incoming Presidents' Messages

OUTGOING PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE -- By Tripp Widder III

What a year this has been! We opened the new, expanded Sequoya Branch Library late last fall and circulation, visits, and computer usage have all increased significantly as we had hoped. We also began the Sequoya Endowment Campaign with help from a matching grant from the Madison Community Foundation and contributions to that fund are going well (but we could always use more). We are in the middle of construction of the greatly expanded South Madison Branch Library which will open sometime next year. The capital campaign for that project, which has set as its goal $700,000, has less than $300,000 to raise by the end of 2010. Again, we can use your help closing that gap.

Finally, there is the Central Library. On November 10th the City Council approved the funding for a new Central Library as part of the capital budget.  Both the Library Board and the Foundation Board are looking forward to working together on this very important city project.

Fundraising for Central will be the biggest undertaking the Foundation has ever embraced – $10 million over the next 3 to 4 years – and in a down economy. But, despite that, the timing has certain advantages. Construction costs are down, and the market for the federal program known as New Markets Tax Credits and an important part of the Mayor’s funding plan is as good as it is going to get for the City in the foreseeable future. You will hear more about our plans and dreams for this ambitious fundraising campaign, and it will be critical that we, as supporters of the Madison Public Library, can complete this. We enjoy one of the best library systems in the country and the continued support from friends like you has helped make it so.

Thank you for the privilege of allowing me to serve as President of the Foundation this past year. Together, we are accomplishing great things.

INCOMING PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE -- By Richard Chandler

It’s certainly an exciting time for me to be starting my term as President of the Madison Public Library Foundation.  The organization is in great shape.  We have a mission that people are passionate about, a broad and growing base of supporters, and dedicated volunteers and staff.  We also have a track record of having successfully completed major capital campaigns such as those for the Lakeview, Alicia Ashman and Sequoya branch libraries, and a lot of momentum in the current campaigns to raise money for the South Madison branch library and the Sequoya endowment fund.

At the same time, we face some clear challenges.  In particular, over the course of the next few years we’re going to take on a project many times larger than any we’ve taken on in the past – raising millions of dollars for a new Central Library.

One thing that often happens when an organization successfully completes projects is that it’s asked to take on more work – and the bar is often raised in the process.  That’s certainly the case with us.  We need to start a major new capital campaign at the same time as people are relying on us to complete our current campaigns and continue our regular ongoing annual campaign work.

In light of the successes this organization has had in the past and the strides that have taken place year after year, there is every reason to be confident that we can meet the challenges in front of us.  We’ll have to continue to work hard, be creative, and reach out to more people to support our efforts.  As in the past, the successful achievement of our goals will make a lasting
contribution to our community.