October News & Events
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This year's Tiny Trees fundraiser was truly a magical evening of community spirit and generosity, and we are incredibly grateful to everyone who participated! The event focused on investing in the La Conner Swinomish Library's future and ensuring that everyone has equal access to digital resources. The community's library is here for all, and we invite you to watch the video below as we take a look back at our library's roots and look forward to the bright future. Thank you, and we hope to see you at the library soon!
News & Events
Tiny Trees – Reserve Your Tickets For Our Annual Festive Event
Join us for Tiny Trees & More, at Maple Hall, Saturday, November 23rd. This year’s festive fun includes sips, savories, our popular Tiny Trees silent auction, and a live auction (including a chance to bid on a special event with author Robert Dugoni!). Tickets are only $25 and…
Summer Reading Program Sponsored by the Rotary Club of La Conner
Come by the library to sign up for Summer Reading and learn about the exciting events that are part of the program. We are incredibly grateful to the Rotary Club of La Conner for their grant that allows us to expand our summer reading literacy offerings!
Library Giving Day Gratitude
With great thanks to all who supported the La Conner Swinomish Library in this year’s Library Giving Day appeal, we are thrilled to share that we exceeded our $15,000 goal toward youth and adult programs, author readings, engaging events, and more! The La Conner Swinomish community’s continued dedication…
Library Giving Day – Making a Difference Together
Your gift in support of the La Conner Swinomish Library will help us reach our goal of raising $15,000 toward youth and adult programs, author readings, engaging events, and more! Let’s come together to keep our library a vibrant, welcoming place for all! With huge thanks to a very…
La Conner Library Foundation Board Director Opening
Are you passionate about the La Conner Swinomish Library? Are you looking for a way to support the library and engage with the community? Our Foundation Board would love to hear from you! Please review the document below and submit your interest in joining the La Conner Library…
Tiny Trees – A Grand Success!
A huge thank-you to the La Conner community for supporting the La Conner Swinomish Library at our annual Festival of Tiny Trees! The Foundation raised approximately $10,000 toward the library’s programs and resources. The generosity of all who participated directly helps our library fulfill its mission of being…
A Letter From The La Conner Library Foundation Director, Sarah Rabel
I am thrilled to be the new director of the Library Foundation, and I am excited for the journey ahead with the La Conner Swinomish Library. The recent capital campaign was an incredible success, and I am in awe of the award-winning and outstandingly innovative LEED certified building…
The Little Library That Could – Did!
“The Little Library That Could”—Did! “The Little Library That Could” has more than lived up to its moniker – the La Conner Swinomish Library stands open, designed and built as a place for discovery, connection, and inspiration, with books, space, and programs for all in our diverse community.…
La Conner Library Foundation Mission Statement
Leaving A Legacy
Leaving a legacy is a meaningful and enduring way to support the Library Foundation. Consider including the Library Foundation as a beneficiary in your will or estate plans, establishing a named endowment fund, or donating appreciated assets such as stocks or real estate. Another option is to contribute to the Library Foundation through charitable trusts or gift annuities. By leaving a legacy, you can make a lasting impact on the library and its ability to serve our community for generations to come.
We invite you to also make a direct monetary donation, participate in event organized by the Foundation, or become a volunteer.
Donate To Us Directly
Donating through this simple form is the most efficient and effective way to contribute the Foundation. Your financial contribution ensures ongoing support of our beautiful new library and diverse community offerings.
Tribute & Memorial Gifts
Giving a gift in honor of a birthday, anniversary, or other special occasion or in memory of a loved one is a great way to pay tribute to that special someone while supporting the work of the library.
Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
You can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution from your IRA directly to La Conner Library Foundation. Simply provide the Foundation’s tax identification number 80-0830829 to your IRA provider and ask them to make the distribution to the La Conner Library Foundation.
Stocks & Securities
If you wish to make a gift to the La Conner Library Foundation using appreciated securities including stock, bonds, and mutual funds, please contact your broker or financial adviser for more information.
Employer Matching Gifts
Many employers match their employees’ gifts to charitable institutions. Some companies will match the gifts of employee spouses and retired employees as well. Ask the human resources or benefits office at your workplace for more information.
Planned Gifts & Bequests
A planned gift to the La Conner Library Foundation ensures the future of the library and its programs, as well as creates your own legacy of support. Planned giving also offers significant advantages, including tax breaks. Please contact us at 360-549-3044 to discuss options. Thank you!
A Permanent Home
The La Conner Swinomish library is an invaluable hub within our community, fostering discovery, connection, and inspiration for all. Thanks to a fruitful capital campaign, we embark on a fresh chapter led by our new Foundation Director, Sarah Rabel.
We extend a warm invitation to visit the library, explore the books, and engage in programs. And we encourage your participation, as contributions from individuals, businesses, and organizations play a key role in supporting and enhancing the library beyond what public funding alone can achieve.
We hope that you will be moved to contribute and be a part of this incredible journey. Thank you!
La Conner Library History
In 1927 the Civic Improvement Club of La Conner and the American Legion Post and Auxiliary, with help from every organization in town, established the La Conner Library. Furnished with salvage and donations from private citizens, and supplied with donated books until 1935, the library then began to receive financial support from the La Conner Town Council. Over the years the library grew to be an important community resource with the help of its active Friends of the Library group.
By 1990 it was clear that the library needed a stable source of income to continue to grow and serve community needs. Under state law it would have to become a countywide library to have taxing power of its own. That was not an option, so the mayor and other citizens of La Conner decided to ask for help to change the law.
In 1993 State Senator Mary Margaret Haugen successfully sponsored legislation to allow the creation of a rural partial-county library district, with its own taxing ability. The bill was signed into law, followed by a vote of La Conner citizens to form the first such library district in Washington state. On November 26, 1993, the La Conner Regional Library opened its doors in the old Hallmark store at 614 Morris Street. A
10-year dream, lots of hard work, commitment and energy culminated in a successful capital campaign to build a new library one block west at 520 Morris Street. The La Conner Swinomish Library opened its doors in October 2022. We are grateful to the many individuals, foundations, service organizations, the Friends of La Conner Library, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Town of La Conner, Skagit County and the State of Washington who helped the “little library that could” achieve this dream.
The library serves residents within the boundaries of the La Conner School District. That’s about 5,000 people from diverse communities such as La Conner, Shelter Bay, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community and beyond.
