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Austin Public Library Foundation

It is an exciting and busy time for the Foundation as we focus on the building of the new Central Library, slated for the emerging Seaholm cultural district on Lady Bird Lake. The City of Austin and Library are on track to select a design team by November 2008, with construction scheduled to start in 2011.

This year and in the immediate years ahead, the Foundation is committed to raise the funds to help make the Central Library as great as its citizens demand and deserve, securing private funding not only to support the building of the new Central Library but also to ensure its longevity as a well-maintained and well-staffed cultural institution. The Foundation also remains committed to supporting programs and services the Austin Public Library would not be able to afford without our help.

Libraries are America's great equalizers—the only place people of all ages and backgrounds can freely use so many diverse resources. Literacy services and access to technology are the cornerstones of everyday life at the Austin Public Library. The Library has more than twenty branches, as well as the John Henry Faulk Central Library and Austin History Center. Keeping all of these sites current with the latest books and technology, and enabling them to develop programs for the community is a daunting task. This is where the Austin Public Library Foundation steps in. The Foundation wants to ensure a vibrant, growing library system by raising funds to support ongoing programs and technological needs in our libraries.

Our vision for the future is to support a new Central Library and dynamic branches. Our long term goals include a Capital Campaign that will help supplement the $90 million bond package to build the new Central Library Austin voters approved in 2006. Although this funding is sufficient to construct the building and allow for basic library amenities, the Library Foundation plans to raise additional funding to transform the facility into one that provides programs, services, staffing, collection and cultural amenities that make the Library an inviting place for all Austin's citizens.  

Why Libraries Matter

• Libraries are the anchor of their communities, providing access to information, culture, and technology.
• Library programs address issues of literacy, economic development, and the digital divide.
• Libraries are a significant contributor to the local quality of life.
• With your help, we are building better libraries for Austin.

The APL Foundation joins Austin's I LIVE HERE I GIVE HERE campaign. 
For more information click on the organization's logo: