Grants Pass, June 14, 2008-Rachel Hart of Grants Pass knows how to get a good financial return. The eight-year old was able convert a small investment in lemonade ingredients into $30 from her lemonade stand to give to the libraries.

But Rachel’s fundraising gets better: According to the American Library Association, researchers in South Carolina found that for every dollar invested in a library, there was a direct and indirect return on investment to the state of $4.48, almost 350 percent. If those numbers are used to calculate the community value of Rachel’s $30 donation, her initial investment of $1.55 in lemonade ingredients could yield $105 worth of benefits to Josephine County.

That’s an impressive financial return from a few cups of lemonade.

Of course, Rachel’s contribution is far greater than its monetary value-it speaks volumes about the value of a library in an eight-year-old’s life, the treasure of imagination and information Rachel does without every day the library is closed. Not that Rachel would take credit for that kind of community engagement: “It seemed like fun to me and I wanted to help out!” beamed the enthusiastic second-grader.

With taxpayers receiving federal tax rebates in the coming weeks and months, Josephine Community Libraries is encouraging the community to follow Rachel’s example and stimulate the economy by donating to the library. “Since the point of the tax rebate is to stimulate the economy,” asks Josephine Community Library spokesperson Jennifer Roberts, “why not give all or part of your check to the library? It’s a great way to stimulate the economy AND keep your dollars working locally.”

The libraries in Josephine County closed over a year ago, on May 17, 2007. In September 2007, committed community members formed Josephine Community Libraries, Inc., a private nonprofit dedicated to reopening and sustainably operating the libraries in Josephine County. The group proposes a model based on public radio and public television, in which memberships are offered, but everybody has access regardless of membership status. This will contribute not only to the libraries’ reopening, but to their long-term sustainability.

Josephine Community Libraries is currently in the fourth week of its first membership drive. Last week the group sent out an appeal to every household in the county in a bright yellow envelope, asking for support in reopening and operating the libraries. Doug Walker, President of the Board of Directors of Josephine Community Libraries, points out that “this is our big chance to open the libraries in our county. Look for your yellow envelope and become a member of the libraries.”

People interested in getting involved with the library effort can send an e-mail to info@josephinelibrary.org or visit www.josephinelibrary.org. Those interested in becoming members can make their check or money order payable to “Josephine Community Libraries” and mail it to P.O. Box 1684, Grants Pass, OR 97528.

Josephine Community Libraries, Inc.

P.O. Box 1684 Grants Pass, OR 97528

541-660-6531

info@josephinelibrary.org www.josephinelibrary.org