Mission
The Foundation mobilizes community resources and relationships that empower our library to deliver innovative programs and services.
Vision
The Foundation advances the Cedar Rapids Public Library and its impact on our community.
Purpose
The Foundation serves as the vehicle through which private funds are used to enhance the Cedar Rapids Public Library’s collections, programs, and technologies while supporting the library’s Strategic Initiatives of Literacy, Access, and Inclusion.
The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The Foundation’s Tax ID Number is 23-7292786.
Brew Master for a Day Auction
A perfect gift for the beer lover who has everything!
The Library Foundation is partnering with Lion Bridge Brewing Company for a special, limited-edition Library Lager celebrating the new Westside Library.
This unique, behind-the-scenes Brew Master for a Day experience is your (or your loved one's) chance to help brew our new Library Lager. The Guest Brew Master's name will even appear on the can label!
Our auction is now open for bidding and will close December 17, 8:00 pm.
Click below to register and start bidding!
What Your Gifts Support
Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library – Research shows that children who grow up with books in their home will achieve three more years of education than those who do not. Our Imagination Library provides Cedar Rapids children one free, age-appropriate book per month from birth to their fifth birthday, regardless of income. These high-quality books are mailed to the child’s home with the child’s name on them. Children enrolled at birth will have 60 books in their home before kindergarten, promoting early Literacy and kindergarten readiness. To date, we’ve mailed more than 343,000 books to children in Cedar Rapids.
Preschool Outreach – Through recorded monthly story times at preschools serving low-income children, library staff engage students in the five early literacy practices of Sing, Talk, Read, Write, and Play. Since 1990, the preschool outreach program has provided story time books for children to take home and healthy snacks for parent-teacher meetings and graduation ceremonies. The preschool outreach program supports early Literacy and provides Access to library services for families who might struggle to make it through our doors.
PressReader – PressReader provides unlimited access to more than 7,000 of the world’s top newspapers and magazines. Supporting Access and Inclusion, this resource offers publications from several different and in multiple languages. Titles our patrons can access include The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Daily Mail, L’Equipe, Der Taggesspiegel, Liberation, China Daily, and LaRazon, along with thousands of others.
Books & Materials – The library’s books and materials keep our patrons engaged and equipped with well cared-for and maintained literature, videos, music, ebooks, and more. The Foundation has helped enhance the library’s commitment to Literacy collections through donor gifts since 1985, as well as a commitment to Inclusion with ever-expanding selections to meet our patron's needs.
Library Staff Appreciation and Development – The Foundation funds annual library staff development as well as library staff and volunteer appreciation and recognition. The library is committed to the continuing education of staff and provides yearlong professional development in topics such as intellectual freedom, implicit bias, social justice and equity, and the role of the library in community.
