It’s clear that Allegheny County residents do indeed Love Their Libraries! This past September’s Love Your Library campaign, a joint effort of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (CLP) and the Allegheny County Library Association (ACLA), was a tremendous success.

With the generous support of the Jack Buncher Foundation, 46 Allegheny County libraries collectively raised $530,910 during the month-long campaign. The Jack Buncher Foundation matching contributions at the rate of nearly $.25 per every $1.00 raised.  Love Your Library was a first of its kind county-wide campaign developed to increase awareness and encourage residents to make a gift to their local library. This special campaign coincided with National Library Card Sign-Up Month.

Libraries reported that the Love Your Library campaign helped initiate conversations with members of the public about the importance of library services and the need to diversify funding streams by increasing private support. For some libraries, this was a major step towards a new or improved fundraising effort.

All donations of up to $500 per donor counted toward the Jack Buncher Foundation match.  Every library in Allegheny County participated. We are pleased to report that contributions were received from at least 4,500 donors, with more than 1,000 of them identified as “new” donors. Additional “anonymous” donors supported the campaign by donating to change jars, book sales and other grassroots efforts.

Look for another Love Your Library campaign in September 2017.