April is a critical time for the San Diego Public Library system. We’re inviting all library supporters to help us celebrate our libraries and advocate on their behalf all month long in honor of Library Giving Day and National Library Week!
Here’s how you can get involved:
- April 1 is Library Giving Day, an opportunity for people who enjoy public libraries to donate. This year, all donations to the Library Foundation SD will be matched up to $25,000 for the month of April.
- April 6 – 12 is National Library Week and the Library Foundation SD is asking for the community to support and advocate for Library staff, programs, and services during each of the themed days of this nation-wide library event.
- April 15 and 21, the San Diego’s Budget Proposal will be presented by San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria. We anticipate dramatic cuts to the library’s budget, and the Library Foundation SD and advocates will join several public input meetings to voice the needs of the library system.
- April 26 – 28 the San Diego Book Crawl returns. Participants will earn prizes by visiting independent bookstores across San Diego and supporting them with purchases. Library Foundation SD is the presenting sponsor for this year’s author ambassador Dave Eggers, American writer, editor, and publisher who is best known for his 2000 bestselling memoir, the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction finalist “A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.” Eggers will visit eight independent bookstores during the crawl, including Library Shop SD.
Running on an operating budget that is already less than 70% of the state average and facing a reduction in federal support, San Diegans and local decision-makers need to stand by the San Diego Public Library system, especially during this critical month.
The Trump administration recently called for the drastic reduction of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, which provides financial support for libraries of all types. This action was condemned by The American Library Association which said, “By eliminating the only federal agency dedicated to funding library services, the Trump administration’s executive order is cutting off at the knees the most beloved and trusted of American institutions and the staff and services they offer.”
San Diego Public Libraries offer something for everyone in the San Diego Community — from a parent whose child relies on the Homework Center to the entrepreneur learning how to write a business plan at The StartUp. For many residents, libraries are much more than buildings filled with books; they are a core public service that needs to be safeguarded for their future and the city’s future.
“Libraries are essential. As one of San Diego’s core services for residents, the 37 San Diego Public Library locations are vital community hubs for connection, education and resilience,” said Patrick Stewart, chief executive officer of Library Foundation SD.
