The Pittston Memorial Library continues the Sustainability Campaign through 2024. Funds raised benefit day-to-day operating costs. The annual budget of the library is $175,000 and the goal for the first year is minimum $40,000. Shown in the photo, left to right: Donna Swainbank, library staff; Howard Grossman, library fundraising director; five-year-old Naveah Singletaryk sitting next to a mini library that will be placed throughout downtown Pittston; Lois Ostrowski, library board member and past board president; Jaqueline DeLucca, library youth coordinator.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON — Pittston Memorial Library 2022 Sustainability Campaign is eight months into their fundraising drive and to date the library has raise $35,000 of the projected $40,000 for annual operation costs for year one.
The campaign’s original launch date was in 2020 but due to the pandemic, it was postponed and the 2021 campaign was cancelled all together. The campaign is currently a three-years mission ending in 2024.
In Jan. of 2022, the Sustainability Campaigned finally got underway lead by local businessman and City of Pittston land developer Robert Bresnahan chairing the campaign.
Coming out of the pandemic, Bresnahan stated at the launch in Jan. the library had to adapt to times to be relevant and be visible in the community. One way to be visible is the Mini Library boxes that will be in strategic locations about the city.
The Mini Libraries are wooden encased boxes that will have library books in what is described as a “give and take” system.
The library was able to hang financially on during the pandemic through loans that were eventually converted into grants, but coming out of the pandemic, services had to restart.
Howard Grossman, Pittston Memorial Library’s fundraising director, said the Sustainability Campaign is critical, especially coming out of a pandemic. The funds raised will keep the library running and keeping it current.
“We’re making good progress and we’ve gotten a lot of pledge money,” Grossman said. “The $35,000 will not only benefit us for the first year, but it will help us benefit for the next two years.”
Lois Ostrowski, current library board member and past president said all donations are welcomed but stresses the little donations are the foundation keeping the campaign alive.
“Some people are pledging $100 per year and some people are pledging $1,500 a year for three years,” Ostrowski said. “We talk about grants or someone that is going to give $5,000 or $10,000, by the same token, if community members if 10 people to give $100, that’s $1,000 and instead of going into the same pockets all the time, if a lot of the community would give what they can, that would mean a lot.”
Grossman said he is grateful for the Times Leader Media Group for continuing to place the ad for the Sustainability Campaign as well as continued support of WBRE-TV keeping the campaign in the forefront.
Tax-deductible donations are being accepted at the library’s website at pittstonmemoriallibrary.org/donations.
If you are interested in donating to the Pittston Memorial Library, checks may be sent to 47 Broad St., Pittston, PA 18640.
The Sustainability Campaign continues through 2024.
