As we approach the winter holiday season and the New Year 2023, all of us here at Pequot Library are thankful for your efforts to keep this special place the unique destination that it is and to maintain it for generations to come. Reflecting back on 2022, it has been an honor and privilege to work with the Board of Trustees, Book Sale volunteers, and talented staff to diligently deliver library services, unique programs, Special Collections exhibitions, and popular fundraising events to the community. Our collective endeavors have paid off. Over the past year, Pequot Library has presented nearly 300 programs to over 30,000 patrons of all ages and expanded its online programming, which has proved to be equally popular. Your support enabled us to fully staff all of the Librarys departments an effort long stalled by the global pandemic and thanks to you, we can now more effectively serve our visitors in person and online.

Looking ahead, we have the refreshed perspective and renewed energy necessary to write this organizations next major chapter. The Trustees and staff are currently leading a strategic planning process to examine how we can best serve the community. To that end, I hope you have had a chance to complete the online survey that was emailed in early November https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZCSYY5S. Your feedback will inform our thinking as we put long-range planning front and center of much of what we do.

As a dedicated friend and supporter of Pequot Library, I ask that you be as generous as you can at this years end. About 80% of our annual budget must be raised through private contributions like yours, and these much-needed donations allow us to be a free-lending library and more for you and for many others in our community.

Our fundraising goal for this years annual appeal is $100,000. May we count on you to renew or even increase if you can your donation at year end 2022?

Are you interested in joining our Young Patrons Group? For anyone ages 49 and under who gives $100 (individual/couple) or $250 (family) per year is eligible to join this group. Please reach out to calderon@pequotlibrary.org to find out more about this new group and to join today!