I just received a very nice note from Danielle alerting me to the appeal from another local library’s foundation requesting donations. Danielle wanted to know if the Sunnyvale Public Library is considering forming a foundation, too. We would love to do so! All that is needed is a few concerned community members to discuss the purpose of the foundation, establish their board and file the appropriate paperwork, and voilà, a nonprofit foundation in support of the Sunnyvale Public Library will be formed. Well, it probably sounds simpler than it is and I may have missed some steps, but it’s been done before elsewhere and I believe that it really wouldn’t be that hard to do here.

My understanding, however, is that as a Library staff member and City employee, I cannot, or perhaps should not (due to the possible conflict of interest) establish a nonprofit foundation to raise funds for the Library myself. That’s where you, my friendly reader, have an opportunity to help. I believe that I, on the other hand, can serve as a technical resource.

If three to five people could be brought together to begin discussing this, I imagine it would be a great start to help the Sunnyvale Library of the Future. The timing seems perfect, too, as we are smack dab in the middle of looking at the future needs of the community from its library. Just give me a call and we can meet for lunch to discuss this idea. I would love to talk with any of our library supporters about the next level of support from the community, which indeed could be a foundation.

Thanks for reading this Blog. Thanks for mentioning it and thinking about a foundation. I hope to hear from you. Ok, that’s probably as much as I should say about it for now :-)

Have a Happy Thanksgiving everyone!