Even though Sam Yoeuth knew public libraries provided life-changing resources to her and her community, she noticed how critically underfunded they are. Determined to make a difference, she set out to change that.
As a first-generation Cambodian refugee, Sam grew up in an underserved community in Long Beach, California, and became a naturalized citizen at the age of 15. She credits her successful career today to the access and knowledge she gained at the library. Giving back to public libraries became important to her as an adult.
“I don’t believe I would have achieved the level of success in school and my career in Engineering without the resources the library offered me. I used the library for access to school books required and for a space to focus and study. It also enabled me to become an avid reader at a very young age, which in turn led me to be a very studious individual. I was able to graduate high school as valedictorian and obtained a full scholarship to college, which I attribute in part to having access to my local library.”
One way she has chosen to give back is by becoming a Library Foundation SD Sustainer. A Sustainer is a supporter who has set up automatic monthly or quarterly donations to the Library Foundation SD.
As a Sustainer, Sam reliably contributes to the Foundation’s mission, helping the Library provide patrons with resources and opportunities to be their best selves, just as it did for her.
“I truly believe in the mission of the Library Foundation SD and I want to be a constant contributor of sustaining that mission. It’s easier for me to give in monthly increments versus a large chunk at the end of the year.”
Many famous authors can tell you a story about how the library inspired them. This passage from one of her favorite books is part of Sam’s inspiration:
“A person who pulls himself up from a low environment via the bootstrap route has two choices. Having risen above his environment, he can forget it; or, he can rise above it and never forget it — and keep compassion and understanding in his heart for those he has left behind in the cruel upclimb.” – A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Betty Smith.
Sam has not forgotten the environment from which she came. In addition to being a Library Foundation SD Sustainer, she is a member of the Friends of the San Diego Public Library, serves as a Director on the Corporate Friends Board, and is also the president of the Serra Mesa-Mesa Chapter. She has also served as a Trustee for the Library Foundation since 2023 and recently became a Library Commissioner for the City of San Diego.
Sam’s library story is a shining example of how public libraries not only uplift a community in the present but also for the future.
“When people visit, they create new memories, enrich themselves, and — over time — they can draw on those experiences to create something that circles back to the Library.”