FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:

April 15, 2008 Jennifer Roberts, 441-3295

Doug Walker, 660-6531

Library group urges residents to celebrate National Library Week by becoming a member

Grants Pass, April 15, 2008-To celebrate National Library Week, April 13-19, Josephine Community Libraries is encouraging people to become members and help reopen libraries in Cave Junction, Grants Pass, Williams, and Wolf Creek.

National Library Week, sponsored by the American Library Association, began in 1958 as a way to celebrate the many ways libraries and librarians contribute to society. “We want to honor libraries by bringing ours back to the community,” said Doug Walker, president of the Board of Directors of Josephine Community Libraries, Inc.

And just in time for National Library Week, Cynthia Fuller, coordinator of a penny drive for District 7 schools, announced that the final deposit from the drive raised the amount collected to $1000. Students at Highland Elementary donated over $300, and librarians across the district were awed by the students’ dedication to reopening the libraries. While the drive officially ran from February 7 to March 7, students were still donating money even last week. “These kids were so inspired to raise money for the library, that even when the penny drive was officially over, they kept bringing in donations!” said Cynthia Fuller, a 3^rd-grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary and an organizer of the penny drive.

In addition to the $1000 raised from the penny drive, $6000 was raised for the libraries by the Murder Mystery Weekend, brainchild of Josephine Community Libraries board member Brady Adams, president of Evergreen Federal Bank.

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Josephine Community Libraries, page 2

Overall, Josephine Community Libraries has raised over $75,000 in cash and has pledges of cash and in-kind goods and services totaling approximately $120,000. Once the organization raises $300,000, it can apply for matching seed money pledged by the Board of County Commissioners. The organization’s fundraising efforts will be based on the public radio/public television model, in which memberships are sold, but everybody has access regardless of membership status. This will contribute not only to the libraries’ reopening, but to their long-term sustainability.

The libraries in Josephine County closed almost 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 operating the libraries in Josephine County. 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 making a contribution can make their check or money order payable to “RCC Foundation/Josephine Community Libraries” and mail it to P.O. Box 1684, Grants Pass, OR 97528.

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Josephine Community Libraries, Inc.

P.O. Box 1684 Grants Pass, OR 97528

info@josephinelibrary.org www.josephinelibrary.org