The Bloomfield Public Library Foundation is launching its first #GivingTuesday campaign this year, to encourage private giving that will ensure the Bloomfield Public Library can address the needs of its growing community.
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the demand for the Library’s services and programs has continued to grow, and to address the community’s changing needs, supplemental funds are vital.
“The Bloomfield Public Library is an invaluable resource for so many of our residents especially over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mayor Michael Venezia said. “It is so critical that we ensure that our library has all of the financial resources necessary to continue to serve the community at such a high level. Any donations to the library are greatly appreciated and will be put to good use by our terrific staff.”
Created in 2012 as a day to encourage people to do good, GivingTuesday has grown into a global generosity movement, unleashing the power of people and organizations to transform their communities by inspiring them to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity.
This year, Giving Tuesday will take place on December 1, and more than any other day of the year, it has the potential to significantly raise awareness of local charities, like the Foundation.
“The Bloomfield Public Library Foundation has been instrumental in providing the township with additional services,” Holly Belli, the Bloomfield Public Library’s Director, said. “The Library is grateful for their efforts and the donations of any size that people would like to give.”
In the last year, donations to the Foundation have helped assist the Library in responding to community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing funds for expanding the Library’s free WiFi services outside the building, into the State Street Lot, the Library courtyard, and the Green.
The Foundation has also sponsored pilot programs for new Library patron services, including Tutor.com and Ancestry.com Library Edition, while significantly expanding the Library’s Museum Pass program, which provides patrons with free admittance to local NJ and NY museums on a check out basis. The Foundation is currently the steward for capital bequests to fund a restoration of the beloved Children’s Library.
“In the last year, we’ve focused a great deal on being able to provide our community with a wide variety of secure and easy-to-use online donation tools so that giving is convenient for anyone that wishes to make a one-time or recurring gift to support the Library,” Mollie Smith, President and co-founder of the BPL Foundation, said. “The Foundation is even enrolled in the Amazon Smile Program and is also eligible for corporate and employer matching programs. Our hope is that this year, every single person in our community who values the Library has the tools to easily make a gift that would be meaningful to them.”
The Bloomfield Public Library Foundation was established in 2018 to secure and manage donations from individuals, businesses and private foundations that believe in the life-changing power of the Library and understand that the best way to address the growing needs of the community is to provide it with support above and beyond municipal budget constraints.
The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that supports the Bloomfield Public Library’s mission by raising funds to supplement and strengthen the public’s investment in the Library’s facilities, programs and services.
Anyone interested in donating should visit the Bloomfield Public Library Foundation website
Donations can also be made using the foundations Text-to-Donate feature by sending the text message “GIVEBPL#GT” to 44-321.