Nashville Public Library Foundation

THE MISSION OF THE NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION (NPLF) IS TO RAISE PRIVATE FUNDS TO ENHANCE THE PROGRAMS, FACILITIES AND COLLECTIONS OF THE NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY.

BRINGING BOOKS TO LIFE IS AN AWARD-WINNING EARLY-LITERACY PROGRAM THAT HELPS TEACHERS AND PARENTS FOSTER A LOVE OF READING IN CHILDREN THROUGH TEACHER TRAININGS, FAMILY LITERACY PROGRAMS, AND STORY-RELATED CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES. FOUNDED IN 2003 AND DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EDUCATORS AND EXPERTS IN EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT, BBTL IS CENTERED ON NPL'S LITERATURE-BASED PUPPET PERFORMANCES. BBTL HAS GROWN TO INCLUDE A MYRIAD OF STORY TIMES, PARENT WORKSHOPS AND TEACHER INSTRUCTION. IN 2020, BBTL BEGAN OFFERING STORY TIMES AND WORKSHOPS OVER ZOOM/VIMEO /YOUTUBE. STAFF PROVIDE CONTACTLESS DELIVERY OF MATERIALS TO PRESCHOOLS AND CHILDCARE CENTERS TO ENSURE THEY CONTINUE TO RECEIVE HIGH QUALITY EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS AND BOOKS TO ENHANCE CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION.THE PUPPET TRUCK EXTENDS THE REACH OF THE LIBRARY BY TAKING LITERATURE-BASED PUPPET SHOWS ON THE ROAD, OR VIRTUALLY AS REQUIRED, TO REACH OVER 15,000 CHILDREN AND SCHOOL GROUPS. LIBRARY'S INVENTIVE STORYTELLING BRINGS BOOKS TO LIFE AND INSPIRES LITERACY THROUGHOUT DAVIDSON COUNTY.

LIMITLESS LIBRARIES STARTED IN 2009 AS A PILOT PROJECT LED BY FORMER MAYOR KARL DEAN TO PROVIDE FOUR METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC (MNPS) HIGH SCHOOLS WITH ACCESS TO NEARLY 2 MILLION NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY BOOKS AND MATERIALS. TODAY, LIMITLESS LIBRARIES SHARES THE PUBLIC LIBRARY'S RESOURCES WITH THE STUDENTS IN 136 METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY, MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS BY DELIVERING THEM DIRECTLY TO SCHOOL LIBRARIES. IN 2022, LIMITLESS LIBRARIES EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE PURCHASE OF A BOOKMOBILE TO ADDRESS BOTH EXISTING PROGRAM SERVICE GAPS WHILE ORGANICALLY EXPANDING THE PROGRAM'S PROVEN, REPLICABLE MODEL. THROUGH A PHASED APPROACH, LIMITLESS LIBRARIES ANTICIPATES EXPANDING SERVICE FIRST TO CHARTER SCHOOLS, THEN TO YOUTH-SERVING COMMUNITY PARTNERS FOCUSED ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME SUPPORTS AND EVENTUALLY WORKING WITH PAROCHIAL/PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO REACH MORE THAN 125,000 STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS ANNUALLY BY THE THIRD AND FINAL PHASE OF THE BOOKMOBILE EXPANSION IN 2025.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT: IN FY22, NPLF CONTRIBUTED $200,000 TOWARDS COLLECTION DEVELOPMENT OF THE VOTES FOR WOMEN EXHIBIT AT THE MAIN LIBRARY, WHICH TELLS THE PIVOTAL AND DRAMATIC STORY OF NASHVILLE'S ROLE IN WINNING WOMEN THE RIGHT TO VOTE WITH THE PASSAGE OF THE 19TH AMENDMENT. ADDITIONALLY, NPLF SUPPORT PROVIDED NEARLY 34,000 NEW BOOKS AND MATERIALS OFFERED THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND A MOBILE JOB SEARCH LAB THAT TRAVELED THE CITY AND OFFERED PATRONS RESUM BUILDING, BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS AND JOB APPLICATION SERVICES. SALON@615 BROUGHT AUTHOR TALKS AND BOOK SIGNINGS WITH BESTSELLING AUTHORS TO THOUSANDS OF AUDIENCE MEMBERS AND COURTYARD CONCERTS ENTERTAINED ATTENDEES WITH FREE MUSIC BY DIVERSE LOCAL PERFORMERS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO SUPPORTS A DIVERSE ARRAY OF PROGRAMMING AT EACH OF THE 21 BRANCH LOCATIONS REACHING OVER 10,000 PEOPLE ANNUALLY AND NAZA'S SUMMER AND AFTERSCHOOL LEARNING CHALLENGED OVER 2,500 YOUNG PEOPLE WITH INNOVATIVE OUT-OF-SCHOOL PROGRAMMING. ART EXHIBITS, SPECIAL COLLECTION STAFFING, CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAMMING PROGRAMS FOR ALL AGES THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM ROUND OUT SUPPORT FROM NPLF TO THE LIBRARY IN FY22.