16 | ANNUAL REPORT
The mission of the Omaha Public Library Foundation (OPLF) is to raise funds and advocate for OPL.
New Ways to Support OPL In its second year, the OPLF fundraiser A Novel Affaire welcomed New York Times #1 bestselling author Wally Lamb. The author of She’s Come Undone and I Know This Much Is True spoke to a crowd of 150 OPLF supporters at Millard Branch on April 18. Lamb reflected on the progression of his career, the power of writing, and his gratitude for public libraries. During the summer, the OPL Foundation’s group for young professionals, the 1877 Society, invited Omaha area writers ages 40 and under to submit unpublished personal essays and short stories as part of a new writing contest. Winners were selected from a panel of local writers and authors and were celebrated in a recognition ceremony in September. In October, the 1877 Society launched a new fundraiser titled Animus: Book vs. Film at Aksarben Cinema. About 65 attendees gathered for a lively film and book comparison surrounding Stephen King’s 1977 bestselling novel The Shining, versus the 1980 film of the same name directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack Nicholson. The book hailed the victory in the event’s inaugural year.