Every bit matters

By Erin Dreiling, Executive Director

Last week, my 9-year-old son asked me a question that stopped me mid-dishwashing: “Mom, what is a nonprofit?”

He hears me talk about the Library Foundation all the time—meetings, events, gifts, campaigns—but this was the first time he’d asked a big picture question. We’ve talked about philanthropy before – he knows it is “people helping people,” and that sometimes helping looks like giving money, sometimes time, and sometimes kindness.

“A nonprofit is a group that helps people or the community instead of trying to make money,” I said. “They use donations to make good things happen.” He nodded, then asked the follow-up only a kid would think to ask: “Does it still count if you don’t give a lot? Like, if I have a dollar?”

That’s when I realized we were having one of those small, important conversations.

I explained that every gift to our libraries—whether it’s $1, $10, or $1,000—helps someone. A few dollars might buy a new children’s book that sparks a love of reading. A modest monthly gift might fund a Chromebook check-out for a student who doesn’t have access to a computer at home. Bigger gifts help expand programs, upgrade technology, or improve spaces. But the impact isn’t determined by the size of the gift. It’s determined by the intention behind it and the collective power of many people giving what they can.

Together, all those contributions add up. They create opportunity. They create access. They create community.

I told him, “Every bit matters. When lots of people give a little, big things happen.” He thought for a moment, then said, “So it’s like when my class brings in canned food for the food bank. One can doesn’t do a lot, but a bunch of cans feed a whole bunch of families.” Exactly.

I love that libraries embody this idea so beautifully. They are built on shared investment: thousands of people supporting a resource that belongs to all of us through their public dollars and donations to the Library Foundation. And whether someone donates a small gift online or makes a major contribution, they are part of the same story – one of generosity, community, and belief in the power of public libraries.

Every bit matters.

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Photo by Ryan Quintal on Unsplash