IMPACT REPORT 2024
I want to thank you for your deep commitment to the Boston Public Library (BPL) and for supporting the work we do through the Boston Public Library Fund to meet the rapidly changing needs of our communities.
This spring, Mayor Michelle Wu hosted Coffee Hours, and Library staff were on hand at nearly all these events. These unique opportunities allowed us to hear from Boston residents and it was clearer than ever that the BPL has a critical, transformational role to play in the civic life of the city, across every single neighborhood.
Today, we are confidently taking steps toward an exciting future. Working with the experienced team of Gensler and Margaret Sullivan Studios, the BPL has embarked on a strategic planning process, focused on how to continue our evolution to meet the challenges of today. This plan will update our mission, vision, and values, and will help us not only to understand our strategic roles in the context of our communities, but also to sharpen our focus on the places where we can make the most impact on our patrons’ lives.
Empowered by your generous philanthropy to the Boston Public Library
Fund, the BPL is planning to bring our spaces and collections to life as never before through our new Special Connections initiative. Our vision is to take the “People’s Palace” and spark engagement with collections and spaces with dynamic innovative learning programs. Special Connections will take our public programming into a new dimension, and as you learn more in the months ahead, I invite you to join us in this exciting effort.
Please know how grateful I am for your partnership. Together, we are imagining an even more vibrant and dynamic Library — free to all.
As we mark the fifth anniversary of the Boston Public Library Fund’s (BPLF) founding, we are proud to celebrate with you, our valued community!
In 2019, we relaunched and rebranded the Boston Public Library Foundation, which had been strong since 1992. At that inflection point, we saw an opportunity to establish a strong and sustainable partner for the Library that could leverage the power of philanthropy to advance social and economic equity. Over the past five years, the Fund has seen steady and consistent progress, thanks to the unwavering dedication and generosity of donors like you.
The Fund’s FY24 impact was felt nationally and in Boston’s neighborhoods. Over 4,000 young people, from all across the country, now have an e-card that provides digital access to the BPL’s collection of frequently banned books. Locally, the Fund supported grants for branches to develop opportunities for their unique communities and we saw 29 programs that brought neighbors together in new ways.
In the pages that follow, you’ll read how our core fundraising pillars — Activating Democracy, Unlocking Opportunity, and Sharing Treasures — come to life thanks to the generosity of our donors and our incredible community members. These personal stories exemplify how the partnership between
David Leonard President
the BPL and the Fund creates new ways for individuals to strengthen their community, immerse themselves in their passions, and develop new skills. We hope their stories inspire you as much as they inspire us.
Thank you for being an essential part of the Boston Public Library Fund’s journey and for investing in the important work of the BPL! We are grateful for your continued support.
Jeffrey B. Hawkins Board Chair
Paula S. Sakey Executive Director
IMPACT IN ACTION
FISCAL YEAR 2024
Increased Access to Banned Books
The BPLF joined the Books Unbanned initiative, granting young people nationwide access to challenged and banned e-books and e-audiobooks from the BPL’s collection. This impactful program has already issued e-cards to over 4,000 patrons across all 50 states.
Expanded Branch Programming
The Fund introduced the “Branching Out — Creative Catalyst Mini-Grant” program, designed to provide financial support for programming at the branches. Twenty-one branches were awarded funding for 29 total projects, each aimed at cultivating an inclusive community. Projects included Meditation Classes, Fiber Arts Classes, an Indigenous Lifeways Project, and a Haitian Dance Performance and Workshop.
Grew Opportunities for Teens
With support through the BPLF, teens are now exposed to a variety of opportunities. They can access music technology through Teen Central’s digital makerspace and find employment with the help of a Teen Career Counselor. A grant through the BPLF also supports at-risk youth including incarcerated and housing-insecure teens by delivering curated library resources and programming to correctional facilities and shelters throughout greater Boston.
Empowered Entrepreneurs
The Fund received a grant to extend the Library’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence program to a third year. The program aims to reduce barriers and advance equity in Boston’s business community. Based in the Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center (KBLIC) in the Central Library, the Entrepreneurin-Residence program was led by Leonard Tshitenge who offered one-on-one mentoring and group workshops.
Welcomed Our New Chef-in-Residence
With a generous grant through the BPLF, the BPL welcomed a Chef-in-Residence to spearhead programming at the Roxbury Branch’s Nutrition Lab. Boston resident Glorya Fernandez began her one-year residency in February with the goal of increasing nutritional literacy and offering cooking programs for all ages.
Preserved Boston’s Beloved McKim Building
The BPLF received a grant for the repair and restoration of the three reliefs adorning the McKim Building façade. These reliefs, crafted by renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gardens in 1895, depict the seals of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Boston Public Library, and the City of Boston.
Enhanced Resources for Unhoused Patrons
BPLF support paved the way for a Bilingual Peer Navigator position to join the Library’s Social Services team, building the BPL’s capacity for direct outreach to unhoused patrons. An expanded partnership with Simmons University saw a cohort of three Social Work Student Interns join the BPL team to provide additional support across the library system.
Reduced the Digital Divide
Support through the BPLF funded the continuation and expansion of the Library’s Connectivity Kit program. Patrons can check out a laptop with a hot spot using their library card. This program helps to close the digital divide by providing Bostonians access to the information they need to thrive.
Planned for the Future
Our first-ever Bequest Challenge has significantly heightened interest in estate giving. The completion of this effort resulted in over $1.7 million in new gift expectancies pledged in less than two years. Additionally, the challenge unlocked $100,000 in current use support given in honor of our new legacy donors. We are thrilled to acknowledge and honor these forward-thinking members of our community through recognition in the 1848 Society.
Donors to the Boston Public Library Fund have
turned the Library’s aspirations into tangible achievements, significantly advancing social and economic equity.
Activated Young Professionals
The BPLF’s Emerging Leaders successfully hosted their second Night in the Stacks event, raising $183,000 for the Library’s programs, services, and collections. Boasting 84 members and a growing number of networking opportunities, this vibrant board is ensuring that Greater Boston’s young professionals recognize and cherish the value of the BPL.
Introduced More English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Classes
Library staff and partners conducted 1,161 classes or tutoring sessions with double the attendance over FY23 — nearly 15,000 participants. With BPLF’s support, the Library was able to build upon essential services and develop new programs for online and in-person engagement.
Championed Arts & Culture
Generous grants through the BPLF supported Concerts in the Courtyard, a series of 24 musical performances that are an annual summer tradition. Lectures and author visits, including a special event with acclaimed author Dennis Lehane, were made possible by donors.
Documented Community Voices
With three full-time staff, funded through a generous grant to the BPLF, the Library’s Community History Department is actively connecting with historically underrepresented Boston communities to add their perspectives to the record. In addition, patrons can now borrow the Oral History Backpacks to record their own oral histories, preserve family stories, and document changing neighborhoods.
Improved Early Literacy
Donors helped to ensure children met crucial literacy milestones by funding a variety of impactful programs. Standout initiatives include the Summer Reading campaign, which engaged Boston children with free books and educational programming outside of the school year, and the Future Readers Club, which supported early literacy programs for children from birth to kindergarten.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
In Fiscal Year 2024, the Boston Public Library Fund received gifts and contributions from 3,145 donors totaling $5,681,330, including $1,125,000 from supporters who named the Fund in their estate plans.
The Boston Public Library Fund has been awarded the Candid (GuideStar) Gold Seal of Transparency, underscoring our unwavering commitment to financial accountability and transparency. Our comprehensive audited financial statements, along with essential policies, are available for review at bplfund.org.
GREAT STORIES BEGIN HERE.
On the following pages, we introduce you to individuals who partnered with the Boston Public Library Fund in fiscal year 2024 to advance equity, drive innovation, and strengthen the community. Their stories proudly highlight the many ways the BPLF is shaping a brighter future for Boston and beyond.
STEPHANIE FAN AND VALERIE WONG
For two sisters, the loss of a neighborhood library spurred a lifetime of advocacy.
“We know what it feels like to have a library taken away from you. It was such a loss to us personally and for our community,” says Stephanie Fan, reflecting on a pivotal chapter in her life. “That’s why we are so motivated to ensure that Chinatown has a permanent library returning to the community.”
As young girls in the 1950s, Stephanie and her sisters frequently visited the Boston Public Library’s reading room on Tyler Street in Chinatown. “Our mother always had a book in her hands or in her purse. She encouraged us to read and was insistent that we get a good education and go to college,” Stephanie shares. “She took us there every week.”
The joy Stephanie found in the reading room was shortlived. In 1956, the municipal building that housed the Chinatown Branch of the BPL was demolished as part of the construction of a new highway, the Central Artery. They also tore down residential buildings along three long blocks of Hudson Street, displacing many families. The library was not replaced.
Living closer to the commercial district of Chinatown, Stephanie and Valerie’s family remained. Valerie remembers the Boston Public Library’s bookmobile that serviced the neighborhood from 1960 to 1970. “It came once a week. We would hop on and look through the trailer filled with a limited number of books on different subjects. But the schedule was inconsistent, and it eventually stopped coming,” Valerie says. As the sisters grew older, they would walk down Boylston Street to the Central Library and later both had summer jobs at the South End Branch.
The loss of their neighborhood library stuck with the sisters. Over the decades, they advocated for a neighborhood branch and worked with community organizations such as the Asian American Resource Workshop, Chinese Progressive Association, the Friends of the Chinatown Library, and the Chinese Youth Initiative. This communitydriven activism led to significant milestones: a city-funded feasibility study in 2006, the opening of the private “Storefront Library” in 2009, and a reading room in Oak
Terrace in 2013. Both libraries were short-lived. In 2017, the City of Boston funded a second feasibility study for the Chinatown Branch.
In 2018, Stephanie and Valerie proudly attended the opening of the temporary Chinatown Branch in the China Trade Center at 2 Boylston Street. The one-room, 1,500-square-foot space accommodates fewer than 100 people and is open five days a week.
Today, Valerie is a regular fixture at the Branch, teaching ESOL classes since retiring from 30 years as a Boston Public Schools teacher. The sisters are impressed by the services offered. “You see how hard the staff work and how amazing they are. They make this small space work for our community members to participate in Tai Chi, lectures, and arts and crafts,” Valerie notes. Stephanie is an annual donor to the Boston Public Library Fund, earmarking her gift directly to the Branch.
The sisters are excited that a permanent, larger branch for Chinatown is on the horizon. Currently under development, the new location at 48 Hudson Street will occupy the first two floors of the building, with 110 units of affordable housing above. Stephanie envisions a bright, comfortable space with a special collection for local history, Asian American cookbooks, and community rooms to celebrate Chinese culture and showcase neighborhood talents.
Reflecting on their journey, Stephanie and Valerie believe the continuous hard work and commitment of the Chinatown community made the progress possible. Asked for their advice to future generations, they unequivocally agree, “Never give up!” they say, and “Keep on reading!”
At the Chinatown Branch, Stephanie (left) and Valerie hold a photo of their mother taken in the Tyler Street Reading Room.
BILL HANEY
Investing in his community with a special tribute.
As a visionary filmmaker, inventor, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Bill Haney believes in investing directly in communities. “For me, supporting people who are in the buildings, getting the work done, and making things happen is the best way to create a lasting impact,” he says. With this guiding philosophy and inspired by his parents’ lifelong careers in education, Bill named two Bates Hall reading lamps in their honor. His gift is part of the Boston Public Library Fund’s Illuminating Bates initiative that provides direct, unrestricted support to the Boston Public Library.
Recently, Bill visited the Central Library’s McKim Building to view the lamps with their engraved brass plaques for the first time. Located on the same oak table, one honors his mother, Irene, and her career as a librarian, and the second lamp pays tribute to his father, Will, a high school teacher. “They had a great love affair and both loved books passionately,” says Bill.
Libraries shaped his early years. “I grew up in a library. I read a book a day and had the freedom to wander,” he adds. Today, Bill, who lives in Back Bay with his wife, Maura, and their Australian shepherd, Smoke, appreciates that libraries are more than collections of books and values their unique mission to provide a common space for people from all walks of life.
By honoring his parents through Illuminating Bates, he has invested in exactly that.
Bill stopped by Bates Hall to view the reading lamps named in honor of his parents.
Glorya teaches classes on plant-focused meals at the Roxbury Branch’s Nutrition Lab.
GLORYA FERNANDEZ
Cooking up knowledge and health at the Library’s Nutrition Lab.
With an energy that lights up any room and an infectious passion for nutrition, Glorya Fernandez is transforming the way Boston thinks about food. As the Boston Public Library’s first-ever Chef-in-Residence, her vibrant presence is enlivening the Nutrition Lab at the Roxbury Branch as she addresses the community’s needs and fosters a healthier, more connected Boston.
Glorya’s journey is deeply personal. Influenced by a family history of breast cancer and diabetes, she attended culinary school and built an extensive network of Boston organizations focused on nutrition. She also runs her own plant-based educational meal prep program, gogobytes.com.
“I’m passionate about plant-focused meals and helping people move away from processed foods,” says Glorya. “What we put in our bodies truly is medicine!”
Her role at the Nutrition Lab, made possible by the PDB Foundation, began with community listening sessions to understand what residents wanted from the program. She’ll cover everything from grains and easy-to-store proteins, to baking and knife skills, ensuring that participants leave with practical knowledge they can apply in their daily lives.
She also enjoys blending cultural heritage with innovative cooking techniques and brings this knowledge to all her lessons. “I love helping people prepare traditional foods in unfamiliar, healthier ways,” she explains.
“The Chef-in-Residence program is drawing more and more people into the Nutrition Lab and it is exciting to see individuals come together to learn, cook, and share meals,” says Nutrition Literacy Coordinator Stephanie Chace. “Glorya’s classes are building more than just culinary skills. She’s helping to build a stronger city.”
MAIMOUNA BAH
Heating up the hot sauce world with a little help from the BPL.
Maimouna Bah’s determination and passion for juggling multiple projects are just the right characteristics to make her business dreams come true. And thanks to the Boston Public Library’s (BPL) Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program, her hot sauce company, Mounas Pepper, is now taking shape.
Cooking was always a joy for Maimouna, especially when she shared her culinary creations with others. Friends and family often raved about her homemade hot sauce, which was inspired by her grandmother’s pepper plants at her childhood home in Guinea. Encouraged by this praise, Maimouna began to consider the possibility of selling her hot sauce to consumers.
As a human resources administrator at the BPL and a mom of two, Maimouna’s days are busy. Launching a new company would be a big undertaking. “I’m a chance taker,” Maimouna says. “I knew I needed to go for this!” So when she heard about the EIR program in the Central Library’s Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center, she used her lunch break to meet EIR Leonard Tshitenge to discuss her business idea.
With guidance from Leonard, Maimouna applied to the Boston Public Market Entrepreneurship Forum and was accepted. The Forum connected her with other chefs and food commerce professionals, so she could learn more about the industry. She continued meeting with Leonard every two weeks on her business goals. “There are a lot of regulations, insurance applications, and permits needed to get a product on a grocery store shelf,” says Maimouna. “Leonard shared his knowledge and helped me stay focused. We worked through my business plan, step by step.”
Today, Maimouna is securing space in a shared kitchen and testing recipes for three versions of her hot sauce. “My goal is to get my hot sauces on the shelves of Tropicals, Stop & Shop, and Star Market in one year.”
Keep an eye out for Mounas Peppers at a store near you in 2025!
Maimouna developed her business plan at the Central Library’s Kirstein Business Library & Innovation Center.
MAC JOHNS
A second chance to earn a high school diploma, thanks to the BPL.
When his high school years were disrupted by the pandemic, Mac Johns, like many other students, found himself struggling to adjust. “My junior year in high school is when the pandemic hit,” says Mac. “When I returned to school that fall, my senior year, it wasn’t the same and I found it really difficult. I didn’t graduate.”
Mac’s experience is not unique: According to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), in the 2020–21 academic year, 4,297 or 1.5 percent of students in grades nine through 12 dropped out of school. Despite trying several online programs to earn his diploma, nothing seemed to work for Mac — until his mother discovered the Boston Public Library’s (BPL) Excel Adult High School program.
Excel Adult High School is an online, self-paced program designed to provide adult students, ages 19 and older, with the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma. Thanks to the generosity of donors to the Boston Public Library Fund, full scholarships are available to all enrolled students and there is no cost to the program. Thirty-eight students have graduated through the BPL so far.
Mac demonstrated his drive and ambition right from the application process according the Community Learning Librarian Jennifer Adams. She says, “He flourished in the online environment and Excel Adult High School was the stepping stone toward the bachelor’s degree he longed to pursue.”
“The Library staff were so helpful setting me up,” says Mac. “The program showed me exactly what I needed to do. I stuck to my goal and accomplished it. I had six classes left to take and completed them in about three months.”
“Excel Adult High School is a crucial second chance for Massachusetts residents like Mac, says Jess Elias, the Community Learning Supervisor at the BPL. “Whether students are looking to advance their careers, prepare for the workforce, or continue their education, a high school diploma opens doors to new opportunities.”
Mac is now a student at Framingham State College and is enrolled in the Geospatial and Data Analysis program. His message is clear: “If you’re motivated, you can get your high school degree. I graduated, and you can too!”
The Boston Public Library hosted a graduation celebration for the Excel Adult High School students, including Mac Johns.
THANK YOU to our SUPPORTERS
LIFETIME DONORS
OF $1 MILLION OR MORE
Anonymous
Bank of America Charitable Foundation
Estate of Howard Cooper
Sherry and Alan Leventhal
The Lowell Institute
Amelia Peabody Charitable Fund
Margret and H. A. Rey
Estate of Peter Sheldon
State Street Foundation
NAMED ENDOWED FUNDS
Endowed fund donors provide a lasting gift with both immediate and long-term benefits to the Boston Public Library Fund. Gifts are maintained in perpetuity and are a powerful permanent legacy of financial support.
Dorothy F. Alker Trust Fund for the Uphams Corner Branch
Louise H. Allen Fund
BPL General Fund
Howard Cooper LGBTQ+
Endowment Fund
Fidelity Fund
Lynch Fund
Diane Martel Fund for Children’s Programs
Leonard and Barbara McCue Fund
Dr. Nellie Walent Wilson Fund
William O. Taylor Fund
INSTITUTIONAL DONORS
The following foundations, corporations, and organizations made gifts and commitments to the Boston Public Library Fund between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
DONORS OF
$100,000 OR MORE
Anonymous^
Bank of America Charitable Foundation^*
Liberty Mutual Foundation^
The Ruby W. and LaVon P. Linn Foundation^
The Lowell Institute^*
National Endowment for the Humanities^*
Eric & Jane Nord Family Fund^*
PDB Foundation^*
DONORS OF
$50,000 TO $99,999
Anonymous^* (2)
The Catered Affair*
Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation^
The Highland Street Foundation^*
DONORS OF
$25,000 TO $49,999
Anonymous
The CNR Foundation
Peter G. Fallon Jr Trust
Granite Telecommunications^
Richard K. Lubin Family Foundation*
MFS Investment Management^
Point32Health Foundation^
State Street Foundation*
DONORS OF
$10,000 TO $24,999
The 1156 Foundation*
American Tower Foundation^*
Argosy Foundation*
The Berman Family Foundation
Bernstein Private Wealth Management, Boston^
The Charlesview Foundation
Ernst & Young^
Evans Moser Family Charitable Fund*
Institute of Museum and Library Services^*
Maxine Myers Foundation*
National Grid Foundation^*
The William and Lia G. Poorvu Family Foundation*
Saquish Foundation^*
Tiny Tiger Foundation^*
TJX Foundation^*
Westra Family Charitable Trust*
DONORS OF $5,000 TO $9,999
The Brennan and Cianciolo Family Fund^*
Boston Bruins Foundation*
Eastern Bank Foundation
Elkus Manfredi Architects
Fan Family Foundation
Fife Family Foundation*
Goldman Sachs & Co.*
The Menemsha Family Fund
Ropes & Gray LLP*
Wolf & Company, P.C.
DONORS OF
$1,500 TO $4,999
Bogan Family Foundation
Community Counselling Service Co., LLC
Donahue + Greene, COMPASS
The Druker Company, Ltd.
Foley & Lardner LLP
Friends of the Jamaica Plain Branch Library^
Library Initiative for Teens and Tweens^
Mass Cultural Council^
National Grid
New England Sports Network
Pegasystems, Inc.^
The Racemaker Charitable Fund at The Chicago Community Foundation*
Norin Razzaque Family Charitable Fund*
Shepley Bulfinch
PATRONS OF THE COURTYARD
Patrons of the Courtyard recognizes annual leadership donors who are committed to ensuring the Library remains viable, engaging, accessible, and free to all. The following members made gifts and commitments to the Boston Public Library Fund between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024.
FOUNTAIN CIRCLE
DONORS OF $50,000 OR MORE
Anonymous (2)
Anonymous^*
Karen and Robert Hale
Jeffrey and Christa Hawkins*
Barbara and Amos Hostetter^*
Megan and Alex Marconi
Maura McCarthy and William Haney
Edgard Quinones and Andrew Marconi
Holly Safford and Chuck Weilbrenner
DONORS OF $25,000 TO $49,999
Anonymous
Leslie and Peter L. Ciampi^
Linda and Daniel Cummings*
John and Maureen Hailer^*
Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine^*
Nancy and Richard K. Lubin*
Barbara and Leonard McCue^*
Michele and Henry J. Nasella^~
PATRON
DONORS OF $10,000 TO $24,999
Anonymous (2)
John Abele*
Amy and David C. Abrams
Anita and Josh Bekenstein*
Joe S. Berman and Sharon Cantor
Marianne M. Callahan*
Kathleen Casey-Bianchi and Lorrey Bianchi*
Unnop Chanpaibool
Venkata Chitturi
Grace and Ted Fey*
Frances S. and Michael J. Goldberg^*
Hannah and Jack Grove*
Elizabeth L. Johnson*
Michael and Martha Keating*
Louis D. and Cheryl Maiuri*
Amelia L. McCarthy and Drew Carlson*
Susan Moser and Thomas Evans*
Nancy L. and Mark D. Myers*
The O’Hanley Family
Prapol Phornprapha
Lia and William Poorvu*
Katherine and Daniel Relihan
Benjamin Schiffer
Hal Tepfer
Narongphan Visvaporabutr
Christian and Sophie Westra*
Adrienne Zak Hunt*
Barry Canton and Reshma Shetty*
DONORS OF $5,000 TO $9,999
Anonymous (3)
Caroline Arnold
Hanna H. and James T. Bartlett*
Carlotte N. Berk*
Alexandra Bowers and James C. Liu*
Lynne Brainerd and Michael Douvadjian*
Kathleen Brennan and Gerald Cianciolo^*
Jane Brock-Wilson*
Douglas E. Carney*
Christy and Jay Cashman
Roberta L. Cohn*
Mack L. Davidson III*
Stephanie and John Fan
Marilyn Fife Cragin and John Cragin^*
Matina S. Horner
Terence M. Janericco*
Shiaw-Juang Jen*
Soo Ji Jung*
Mimi and Paul La Camera*
J. D. Lamb and Gardner N. Stratton*
Myrna K. and Roger Landay*
Justine and James Laugharn^*
Sandra Moose*
Jane R. and William S. Mosakowski*
Jennifer M. and Victor Paci*
Eli T. Paster
Ruth Perry*
Susan D. Prindle^*
Jason Purdy^
Dorothy and John J. Remondi*
Kay L. and Stanley F. Schlozman
The Shemin Family
Nancy and John W. Webster*
Sallyann Wekstein*
DONORS OF $2,500 TO $4,999
Anonymous (5)
Nina Berger^
Lewis and Rinda Burleigh*
Peter Cahn and Donald Hess*
Allie and Tom Campbell*
Carolyn O. Carlson*
Danielle Chow and Ben Harris*
Kymm Coveney*
Cheryl and Jack Cronin*
Christine Fuchs*
Jean Gibran*
Ileen Gladstone*
Cynthia and Christopher Gorton
Wendy B. Hamilton*
Cynthia M. Jones^*
Lisa K. and Roger L. Krakoff
Drs. Maydee G. and Nelson P. Lande*
Leo Liu and Pendred Noyce*
Roy Y. Liu*
Martha Maguire and Oleg Simanovsky*
Mary R. McDonough*
Susan M. O’Connor*
Robert O’Haver
Mary and Theodore Papastavros
Joy and Robert Playter*
Valerie K. and Larry M. Post*
Sue and Bernie Pucker*
Norin Razzaque*
Philip W. Rosenkranz^*
Paula and Robert Sakey*
Emily Schabacker*
Sheila Thorne
Kate Walsh and Erik Garpestad
Dyann and Peter K. Wirth*
~ Deceased
^ Restricted gift
* Three years consecutive giving Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this list. We apologize for any errors or omissions. Please report any corrections to info@bplfund.org
For a complete list of donors, please visit bplfund.org/donors
1848 SOCIETY
The following donors are members of the 1848 Society, which recognizes and honors individuals who have included the Boston Public Library Fund in their long-term financial and estate plans through a charitable bequest, beneficiary designation, gifts through retirement accounts, and other legacy gifts.
Anonymous (6)
Hanna H. and James T. Bartlett
Kristine P. Browne
Kathleen Casey-Bianchi and Lorrey Bianchi
Irene Christopher~
Peter L. Ciampi
Howard Cooper~
Steve L. Csipke
Angel M. Dejesus
Priscilla H. Douglas
Esther M. Engelman~
Albert Engleman~
Peter G. Fallon~
Janet E. Goff~
Frances S. and Michael J. Goldberg
Arlene Hines~
Terence M. Janericco
Marlene Kaplan
LEAVING A LEGACY FOR THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
J. D. Lamb and Gardner N. Stratton
Adam M. Lutynski
Teresa F. Mazzulli~
Christine McCarron
Kathleen McDermott and William Nigreen
Mary R. McDonough
William J. McLaughlin
Kathleen M. Miskiewicz
Katharine Nash~
Marva Nathan
Theodore Papastavros
Ruth Perry
Arlene B. Pikin
Sally G. Portle
Susan D. Prindle
Peter Sheldon~
Julie M. Wood
BEQUEST CHALLENGE
The following donors participated in the Boston Public Library Fund’s first-ever Bequest Challenge, an effort to raise awareness and interest in legacy giving. These donors had a current-use gift made in their honor, increasing the impact of their support.
Anonymous (2)
Kathleen Casey-Bianchi and Lorrey Bianchi
Priscilla H. Douglas
Irene Christopher~
Howard Cooper~
Albert Engleman ~
Esther M. Engelman~
Janet E. Goff
Arlene Hines~ Adam M. Lutynski
Katharine Nash
Teresa F. Mazzulli~
Kathleen McDermott and William Nigreen
Kathleen M. Miskiewicz
Lorrey and Kathleen Bianchi have called the South End home since 1985, using the Central Library for research, borrowing books, and connecting with neighbors. As members of the City-Wide Friends of the Library, they volunteered their time to support the Boston Public Library (BPL). Lorrey served as President and both fondly recall the countless hours spent sifting through carts of books for book sales, a weekly fundraising event at the time.
Their love for literature is strengthened by the Library’s egalitarian mission. Kathleen says she’s always been impressed that the services and programs are open and free to all Boston residents. “There’s no membership to the BPL,” says Lorrey.
To ensure their passion for libraries benefits future patrons, the couple decided to name the Boston Public Library Fund as a beneficiary in their estate plans. When asked what they hope their future gift will accomplish, both agreed: “We have always felt the people at the Library will know how to use our gift better than we do.”
Lorrey and Kathleen hope more individuals will choose to support the BPL through legacy gifts.
“If you are looking to maximize the impact of your donation, the best thing you can do is include the Library in your estate plans,” says Lorrey. Kathleen echoes this sentiment and adds, “The BPL is the place to make a difference for the generations to come.”
To learn more about gift planning, please contact Deputy Executive Director Carol Estes-Schwartz at cestes@bplfund.org or 617-859-2032.
FROM CHILDHOOD PATRON TO LIBRARY CONSERVATOR
For Elizabeth Nagarajah, the BPL is in her neighborhood and close to her heart.
Elizabeth Nagarajah has always cherished the Boston Public Library (BPL). Growing up near the Grove Hall Branch, she remembers school breaks with her brother, pulling a wagon to the Library to fill it up with books. “We needed something to do when we were out of school,” she recalls.
As an adult, Elizabeth’s connection to the BPL deepened. She frequently brought her two sons and daughter to the Roxbury Branch and when she started her own daycare, she took the children in her care to story times and programs and signed each child up for their own library card. “Access to books, right in our neighborhood, is so important! We have books here that talk about us, talk about our neighborhood, and celebrate our community,” she emphasizes.
Today, Elizabeth serves as the president of the Roxbury Friends of the Library group, working with the Branch staff to support the Library’s mission. She also supports the Boston Public Library Fund as a member of the Conservators, a group of donors who set up automatic, monthly donations. For Elizabeth, giving back comes naturally. “I’m a giver. I give to things that are close to my heart,” she says, “and for me, that’s the BPL!”
To learn more about joining the Conservators, please visit bplfund.org/conservators. Elizabeth visits the Roxbury Branch often.
The mission of the Boston Public Library Fund is to provide financial support to the Boston Public Library, ensuring that it remains viable, engaging, accessible, and free to all. The Fund fulfills this mission by working in partnership with the Library, donors, and other funders in supporting Boston Public Library programs and special initiatives. Support from the Fund supplements, but does not supplant, other Boston Public Library resources, including City of Boston funding.
BOARD of DIRECTORS
Jeffrey B. Hawkins, Chair
Hannah Grove, Vice-Chair
Grace Fey, Treasurer
Taylor Brennan, President, Emerging Leaders
Lewis Burleigh, Founding Director Emeritus
BPLF Staff
Cliff Cammock
Barry Canton
Douglas Carney
Cynthia Clark
Derrick Johns
Michael Keating
David Leonard, President, Boston Public Library
Paula Sakey, Executive Director
Carol Estes-Schwartz, Deputy Executive Director
Sarah Dow, Director of Advancement Services
Lisa Kernan, Director of Individual Giving
Kyle Lindsay, Assistant Director of Advancement Services
IMPACT REPORT Contributors
Writing
Katie Miller
Copy Editing
Doris Troy
Leo Liu
Raymond Liu, Chair, Boston Public Library
Board of Trustees
Merranda Logan
Louis Maiuri
Amelia McCarthy
Adrienne Zak Hunt
Katie Miller, Director of Communications & Donor Relations
Liz Swanson, Development Coordinator
Seryna Warren, Assistant Director of Annual Giving
Benjamin Wind, Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations
Photography
Aram Boghosian
Luke Canniff
Design
Joshua Cleaver
Faneuil Branch