Albany County Public Library Foundation

The Albany County Public Library Foundation passionately raises funding to support the Albany County Public Library. The organization's main goal is to provide a minimum of $60,000 to the library each fiscal year to support important purposes and projects. The ACPL Foundation strives to provide essential funding to the library on a schedule that works well for the library.

Other goals of the organization include: increasing the community's knowledge of the library foundation through outreach and collaboration; increase annual giving to increase the amount that can be provided to the library; and to find creative and innovative solutions and projects to better the library.

The Albany County Public Library Foundation accomplishes its goals by building strong donor relationships, being in sync with community and library needs, and having specific fundraising goals throughout the fiscal year.

The Albany County Public Library Foundation has a motivated and passionate board and staff to accomplish its goals.

Library Foundation Endowment: From March 2008 to March 2014, the Albany County Public Library Foundation took on the challenge of raising funds that were matched 3:1 by the State of Wyoming. The ACPL Foundation was one of the first libraries to complete the challenge, due to exceptional community support. Funds raised from the Albany County community totaled $242,463.00, for a match of $727,389.00 from the state. This endowment fund will always be an important asset to the public library. The principal of the endowment cannot be touched, but interest from the fund can be distributed on an annual basis. To date, the ACPL Foundation has succeeded in providing the requested funding to the library without touching the interest from the endowment.

Programs, Technology, and Materials: The ACPL Foundation provides significant support for the library to host programs, provide access to technology, and to have a wide variety of items in its collection.

Building Maintenance: The first goal for the organization was to assist the library in raising funds for the capital campaign to open the new library in 1981. That building is still in use today. The library has needed funding to make necessary updates. The ACPL Foundation has helped with the following building projects:

Installing air conditioning in the library
Installing new carpet and replacing furniture
Installing ADA compliant doors in the library’s main entrance
Assisting in the repaving of the parking lot
Renovating the library meeting room and historic Wyoming Room
Creating of the Janet Shively Memorial Garden on the north side of the building
Purchasing a new book/media drop

While these large capital projects are important, the basic building maintenance needs are equally, if not more important. The library regularly needs funding to make small repairs, to purchase building equipment, and to be prepared for problems.

Innovative Projects: The ACPL Foundation debuted its Restricted Fund Mini-Grant Program in 2018. Two of the ACPL Foundation named-funds, the Agnes Milstead Fund and the Love Family Fund, are designated for general library purposes. Each fiscal year a portion of these named-funds are provided to help the library. To better address areas with a lack of funding, the mini-grant program uses these funds to address needs and projects identified by library staff.

The library’s staff are eligible to apply for funding for the library each year. The mini-grant program works to facilitate professional development opportunities with staff, teaching skills such: as project management, grant writing, and problem solving. At the same time, the funded projects greatly benefit the library and the community. In 2019-2020, the ACPL Foundation is overseeing three mini-grants.