Library gets boost from city contribution
by Lisa Crockett
The Castle Pines City Council has unanimously approved a $50,000 contribution to the Castle Pines Library; funds will be contributed to a campaign to raise $100,000 to keep the library operating for the next three years. Half of the contribution will be presented to the Library in September, and the other half will be contributed in 2012, pending private contributions in an equal amount.
Castle Pines resident Warren Lynge, who is spearheading the fundraising effort, sees the donation as a huge boost not only in support of the library, but also as a way to encourage the entire community to get in on the act.
“It was a bold move for the city to step forward and make such a generous contribution,” said Lynge. “Beyond this large donation, they have encouraged other entities to contribute to this important library fund raiser. They have served notice that we are for real; they have pronounced, ‘We can and will make our city the best that it can be.’ Like all of us, they have said that to be a city we must have a library.”
Lynge and the committee will continue to raise funds, especially in pursuit of funds required to match the 2012 portion of the City’s pledge.
Amy Long, department head at Castle Pines Library, said, “It’s clear that the leaders of Castle Pines are committed to the future of both the library and the community. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mayor Huff, members of the city council and city management staff, and to the library campaign committee.”
Though it occupies just 2,300 square feet, the library accommodates more than 10,000 visits and processes thousands of items each month. Mayor Jeff Huff said he and the city council recognize the importance of the library in the Castle Pines community.
“The city supports the library as an important cultural and learning amenity in our community,” said Huff. “As the most highly utilized facility in the county library system, we recognize its value to our citizens. We encourage all Castle Pines residents to support our local library and we look forward to a time when the Douglas County Library system will become self-sustaining.”
Opportunities to contribute to the Library “Let’s Keep a Good Thing Going” campaign include the chance to sponsor the library for a day, King Soopers reloadable rewards cards (see page 8), and continued partnerships with area businesses.
People interested in donating or sponsoring the library should contact Castle Pines Library at 303-791-7323 or Castle Pines Chamber of Commerce at 303-688-3359. Donations may also be made online at www. DouglasCountyLibraries.org; click “Donate it.”
