To commemorate the Library Foundation's 10th Anniversary, the Great Cities Have Great Libraries campaign was unveiled at the end of 2003. The first funding priority was a new Integrated Library System (ILS), identified as the critical need of the library system.
Working again in partnership with the City of Fort Worth, the Foundation agreed to provide one-half of the cost or $600,000 in private funds for the new ILS. In 2004, the Foundation completed the fundraising for this project, and the new ILS, Horizon, went online in July 2005. The new system helps the Fort Worth Library manage the online catalog, cardholder accounts, check-out and check-in procedures, orders and other major functions, which make for a more efficient and user-friendly library.
The Foundation identified the second focus of the Great Cities Have Great Libraries campaign to be the Library's collection. In October 2005, the Fort Worth City Council approved the Library's '05-'06 Budget which included a $250,000 improvement package for the materials collection which was judged to be deficient. Because of the commitment made by the City Council, The Fort Worth Public Foundation successfully raised $250,000 in private dollars through a public campaign. The need to update the Collection is ongoing and donations for this purpose are always welcome.
$556,000 - FUNDED
$250,000 - FUNDED
At the end of 2006 the Library Foundation was notified of a bequest from the estate of Loretta C. Bolin, which allows the Foundation to create an Endowment. The Endowment will enable the Foundation to transition from a project driven to a permanent organization.
Goal: $10,000,000
Funded: $1,500,000
Support your Fort Worth Public Library system with a gift to the Collections Campaign.
|
