Library Foundation for Sarasota County awards $125,000 to fund mobile library

Sarasota Herald-Tribune
·2 min read
The nonprofit Library Foundation for Sarasota County has raised more than $8 million since 2011 for the benefit of the public library system.
The nonprofit Library Foundation for Sarasota County has raised more than $8 million since 2011 for the benefit of the public library system.

The Library Foundation for Sarasota County has awarded a $125,000 grant to Sarasota County’s public library system to fund a fully equipped, mobile "Pop-Up Library."

The customized outreach vehicle will be the first of its kind in Sarasota County, bringing the library’s technology, books, and programs to communities with limited access to library resources.

Alisa Mitchell is executive director of the Library Foundation for Sarasota County.
Alisa Mitchell is executive director of the Library Foundation for Sarasota County.

The Pop-Up Library is made possible by the generosity of Library Foundation donors and a $50,000 capping grant from the William G. and Marie Selby Foundation, whose philanthropic contributions total $3 million annually for scholarships and grants benefitting the Sarasota community.

“The Pop-Up Library extends the library’s reach beyond its physical branches to serve everyone in our community," said Alisa Mitchell, the Library Foundation’s executive director. "We deeply appreciate our donors and the Selby Foundation for making this outreach possible,”

In addition to providing traditional books and materials, the Pop-Up Library will serve as a mobile Wi-Fi center, offer employment services and STEM-based makerspaces, and deliver library programming specific to children, families, and senior citizens.

Staffed with a full-time librarian and an outreach specialist, the Pop-Up Library will operate five-to-six days per week, with a staggered schedule of nights and weekends.

“The pop-up vehicle will allow our staff to take library resources to underserved communities throughout Sarasota County," said Renee Di Pilato, director of libraries and historical resources. "We are grateful to the Library Foundation and Selby Foundation for supporting such a worthwhile expansion of library services.”

Since its founding in 2011, the nonprofit Library Foundation for Sarasota County has raised more than $8 million in private funds for the benefit of Sarasota County public libraries. To learn more about the Library Foundation for Sarasota County and how to support its mission, visit SarasotaLibraryFoundation.org or call 941-404-3139.

Submitted by Kate Schwartz

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Library Foundation awards $125,000 to fund 'Pop-Up Library'