Wilton Library announces matching gift challenge for Annual Appeal

Wilton Library’s fiscal year ends at the end of June and to help the library meet its fundraising goal in a challenging year, a consortium of donors on Wilton Library's Board of Trustees have come together to provide a match of up to $10,000 for all gifts coming in from June 15 through June 22 (11:59 p.m.). 

Courtney Lilly, director of development for Wilton Library, said, “We are so thrilled by the matching gift this group of individuals is putting forward to encourage others to donate. Gifts received during this one-week period are DOUBLED. It is such a wonderful boost.”

Wilton Library Association is a private, non-profit institution. While the town of Wilton partially covers operating expenses, generous donations fund 100% of the library’s books, online databases, magazines, newspapers, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks and programs. In other words, every item on the shelves and every digital eBook, eAudiobook, eMagazine and streaming movies, TV shows and music are purchased through fundraising efforts such as the annual appeal.

Lilly continued, “Your gift makes an immediate impact – and your gift now, makes double the impact.”

The library was in the midst of its 125^th anniversary celebration and it was a banner year, literally and figuratively.  Colorful banners marking the library’s anniversary were placed on display around Wilton Center.  Adding to that, the Brubeck Collection, a treasure trove of jazz legend Dave Brubeck’s memorabilia, will be housed at the library for scholars around the world to use. The library just received the Connecticut Library Association’s Excellence in Public Library Service Award for its Wilton Reads 2019 community-wide discussion of the Holocaust through the book, The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris.

Elaine Tai-Lauria, executive director of Wilton Library said, “We had all these wonderful things happening for the community and then the pandemic hit everyone. Our major fundraisers including our 125^th Anniversary Gala and our Gigantic Spring Book Sale were postponed. We pivoted to providing Digital Library resources for everyone, creating virtual programs so that cultural learning could continue, bringing people together for cooking and knitting sessions, and even had our little ones enjoying virtual story times with Wilton’s firefighters and police.  It’s been an exciting time, and the community’s letters and emails of appreciation have been most gratifying.”

Tai-Lauria continued, “We’re very much looking forward to seeing our patrons drive up to our service window beginning June 22. We’ll even have the dog treats ready!”

People wishing to make their donations may visit https://supportwla.greatfeats.com/ from June 15 through June 22 to make double the impact. They may also find the link by visiting the library’s website at www.wiltonlibrary.org and clicking on the “Always Here for You” banner on the homepage.  The library’s fiscal year ends June 30.

For any questions about donations, please contact Courtney Lilly at clilly@wiltonlibrary.org or 203-762-6323.