CITY of Stillwater News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 9, 2023
Contact: Emily States, Stillwater Public
Phone: 405-372-3633 x8102
E-Mail: emily.states@stillwater.org
Stillwater Public Library ends its centennial with the launch of the ‘$100 for 100 Years’ Campaign and ‘Winter Read-a-thon’
(STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA / November 9, 2023) – The Stillwater Public Library is nearing the end of its 2023 centennial celebration with the announcement of its “$100 for 100 Years" fundraising campaign and a “Winter Read-a-thon.” The library asks the community to consider joining in the preservation and expansion of its legacy by contributing $1 for each year of its service to Stillwater or by taking part in the library’s challenge to raise funds through reading. The Friends of the Stillwater Public Library are matching donations.
"We are incredibly proud to have reached this significant milestone," said Mike Woods, library board chair. "To ensure our library continues to thrive and serve generations to come, we are launching this final centennial initiative. We invite all members of our community, as well as those who have been touched by our library over the years, to participate and invest in the future of the Stillwater Public Library.”
The ultimate goal for these fundraising efforts is to raise a total of $100,000 for the Library Trust. So far, the library has raised nearly $70,000 through individual donations and fundraising events like the “Retro Book Fair” and the “Stillwater Haunted Library.”
For individuals who may not be able to donate, the library is also holding a “Winter Read-a-thon” from Dec. 1 through Dec. 31, as a twist on the annual winter reading program. To participate, individuals can sign up through Beanstack, the library’s online reading challenge platform and mobile app. Participants can log in and earn prizes for their reading and share their individualized donation pages with family, friends, and social networks. Donations made through individual’s donation pages will earn badges and help the library reach its fundraising goal. Details and registration info are available at stillwaterok.gov/LibraryWinter.
“Our all-ages winter reading program will still have the same components that our patrons are used to,” said Stacy DeLano, library director. “But there will be the added option of supporting the library’s fundraising efforts.”
Over the next several years, DeLano hopes that a yearly fundraising event like the read-a-thon can help the Trust grow enough to allow the library to make even more substantial changes.
“We intend to double our current typical annual distribution of earnings,” DeLano said. “Once we are consistently reaching $50,000 in annual distributable earnings, we can start addressing projects that we never thought would be possible for a municipal library. In the scheme of things, we are a fairly small library serving a very information-savvy population. We want to make sure we keep up with the community’s expectations and needs.”
According to DeLano, some of the Library Trust's future investments include:
- Renovation of library spaces to accommodate a wider variety of activities.
- Upgrading technology infrastructure and equipment to ensure all residents have access to digital resources and knowledge.
- Collection building in the newest formats that best fit community members’ needs.
- Programs and services that empower community members of all ages.
Centennial-year donors are being recognized on the library’s webpage at stillwaterok.gov/spl100. Donors contributing $500 or more will have a place on the Library Trust’s donor installation wall that will be informally unveiled at the end of the year.
To donate to the Library Trust, visit stillwaterok.gov/LibraryDonate or contact the library business office at 405-372-3633 x8100.
The Stillwater Public Library is located at 1107 S. Duck St. Library hours are Monday- Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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