West Palm Beach Library Foundation Inc

THE WEST PALM BEACH LIBRARY FOUNDATION, A 501(C)3 NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS INDEPENDENT FROM THE CITY OF WEST PALM BEACH, WAS FORMED TO SUPPORT THE MANDEL PUBLIC LIBRARY OF WEST PALM BEACH. THE FOUNDATION, FREE OF ANY POLITICAL INFLUENCE, SECURES FINANCIAL AND IN-KIND DONATIONS TO SUPPORT AND ENHANCE PROGRAMS, SERVICES, COLLECTIONS, AND TECHNOLOGY THAT THE CITY'S REASONABLE OPERATING BUDGET CANNOT ENCOMPASS. WE WORK WITH THE LIBRARY IN A STRONG PARTNERSHIP, TO DETERMINE WHERE PRIVATE SUPPORT CAN HAVE THE GREATEST IMPACT AND AT THE SAME TIME, NOT REPLACE THE PUBLIC'S RESPONSIBILITY FOR FUNDING THE BASIC OPERATIONS OF A STRONG LIBRARY.

THE AFTERSCHOOL HOMEWORK CENTERS ARE THE ANCHOR OF THE LIBRARY'S AFTER-SCHOOL INITIATIVES AND SERVE AS A LIFELINE FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS BY PROVIDING FREE ACADEMIC SUPPORT TO STUDENT'S GRADES K-12. ELEMENTARY AND TEEN HOMEWORK CENTERS ARE OPEN FOUR DAYS A WEEK AND ON SUNDAY AND PROVIDE EVERYTHING STUDENTS NEED TO SUCCESSFULLY STUDY, LEARN AND COMPLETE HOMEWORK AND RESEARCH PROJECTS. EQUIPPED WITH BASIC SUPPLIES LIKE PAPER AND PENCILS, LAPTOPS, PRINTERS, DATABASES AND THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES, HOMEWORK CENTERS OFFER EDUCATIONAL GAMES, SOFTWARE AND TOOLS AND ARE STOCKED WITH HEALTHY SNACKS TO FEED BODIES AND MINDS. MOST IMPORTANTLY ELEMENTARY AND TEEN HOMEWORK CENTERS ARE STAFFED TEACHERS CERTIFIED BY THE SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PALM BEACH COUNTY AND PROFESSIONAL LIBRARIANS, AS WELL AS VOLUNTEERS AND AMERICORPS MEMBERS. THESE ADULTS SERVE AS TEACHERS, ADVOCATES, MENTORS AND CHEERLEADERS FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEYS. LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF KINDERGARTEN-AGED CHILDREN WHO LIVE IN WEST PALM BEACH, SPECIFICALLY THOSE IN THE PUBLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT ARE NEAREST THE LIBRARY, ARRIVE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS READY TO LEARN. THESE NUMBERS IMPROVE ONLY SLIGHTLY WHEN STUDENTS ARE TESTED FOR GRADE LEVEL READING IN THIRD GRADE, WHERE 40% OF CHILDREN ARE PROFICIENT READERS. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT CHILDREN WHO HAVE NOT MASTERED READING BY THIRD GRADE ARE LESS LIKELY TO GRADUATE. ADULTS WITHOUT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS EARN LESS THAN THEIR PEERS THAT GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL. FOR MANY, A DIPLOMA IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN POVERTY AND A LIVING WAGE. TO HELP ADDRESS THESE NEEDS AND PARTNER WITH CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ON THEIR EDUCATIONAL JOURNEYS AND BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY, MANDEL PUBLIC LIBRARY OF WEST PALM BEACH CREATED HOMEWORK CENTERS. THE HOMEWORK CENTERS BOTH IN ELEMENTARY AND TEEN AREA AVERAGE OVER 1,000 STUDENTS ATTENDING OVER 170 SESSIONS WITH AN AVERAGE OF 6 KIDS A DAY.

ADULT PROGRAMING HELPING ADULTS THRIVE. THE LIBRARY'S AWARD WINNING, DYNAMIC, LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMS ENCOURAGES PARTICIPANTS TO EXPLORE TALENTS, GROW AS INDIVIDUALS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WORLD. PROGRAMS SUCH AS GET THAT JOB, STUDIO 411, AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES EXERCISE PROGRAMS ENCOMPASSES A BREADTH OF PROGRAMMING INCLUDING ACADEMIC LECTURES CONDUCTED BY UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS, EXHIBITIONS, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT PANEL DISCUSSIONS, AUDIENCE PERFORMANCE CLASSES, PROFESSIONAL MUSIC PERFORMANCES, AN ASPIRING AUTHOR SERIES, AND HANDS ON ART CLASSES. THE LIBRARY AVERAGES OVER 15,000 ADULTS ATTENDING OVER 5,000 ADULT PROGRAMS TO LEARN, DEVELOP NEW SKILLS, EXPAND THEIR RELATIONAL NETWORKS AND ENRICH THEIR LIVES. ADULT PROGRAMMING CREATES OPPORTUNITIES FOR SENIORS TO STAY INDEPENDENT BY PROVIDING MENTAL STIMULATION, IT ALLOWS THE ARTS AND CULTURE TO FLOURISH AMONG PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE TIME TO DEDICATE TO A NEWLY LEARNED ART FORM, AND IT COMBINES, UNDER ONE ROOF, ACADEMIC LECTURES, HANDS ON ARTS, PERFORMANCE ARTS, PERFORMANCES, PANEL DISCUSSIONS, JOB READINESS PROGRAMS, FREE EXERCISE PROGRAMS AND MORE EACH WEEK. ADULT PROGRAMMING PROVIDES A PLACE AND PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT TO NEW IDEAS, EXPERIENCES AND TO ONE ANOTHER. THE VOLUME, VARIETY, BREADTH AND DEPTH OF OFFERINGS IS UNPRECEDENTED IN THE COUNTY.

YOUTH PROGRAMING AT THE MANDEL PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVIDES FREE EDUCATIONAL, ARTISTIC, HEALTHY LIVING, EXERCISE PROGRAMS, AND MORE EACH WEEK. FREE YOUTH PROGRAMMING SPANS FROM INFANTS, CHILDREN TO TEENS. DURING THE FISCAL YEAR, THE FOLLOWING STATISTICS ARE FROM A HAND FULL OF THE MANY FREE PROGRAMS THAT THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION OBTAINS FUNDING AND PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR AT THE MANDEL PUBLIC LIBRARY. SUMMER LEARNING: 1,196 ATTENDEES, SUNSHINE STORY TIME: 738 ATTENDEES, VIRTUAL STORY TIME: 2868 ATTENDEES, GRAB AND GO KITS AND CHILDCARE OUTREACH KITS: 8,256 PROVIDED, IN ALL, OVER 12,130 CHILDREN AND TEENS VISITED THE LIBRARY TO PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMS. THE LIBRARY IS A SAFE PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS TO COME AND LEARN, PLAY, CREATE, AND GROW.

THE WEST PALM BEACH LIBRARY FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS VOTED TO GIFT THE MANDEL PUBLIC LIBRARY OF WEST PALM BEACH ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR THREE CRITICAL INITIATIVES: ADDITIONAL AWE COMPUTER TO ENHANCE EARLY LEARNING STATIONS FOR CHILDREN AGES 2 - 12 YEARS OLD. A WHISPER ROOM SOUNDPROOF BOOTH FOR THE LIBRARY'S NEWLY REDESIGNED DIGITAL STUDIOS. FUNDING WAS PROVIDED TO SUPPORT THE NEW LIBRARY NEWSSTAND APP THAT WILL ALLOW PATRONS TO ACCESS A LARGE DATABASE OF EBSCO SUBSCRIPTIONS. ALL OF THE ABOVE ARE PROVIDED TO PATRON OF THE LIBRARY COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE. FUNDING WAS PROVIDED TO ENHANCE THE LIBRARY'S COLLECTION OF BOOKS AND DIGITAL RESOURCES FOR THE PATRON OF THE LIBRARY.