Sharing Time and Resources

Mary and I moved to Warren County when I retired in 2008. I have always been an avid reader and volunteer and was delighted to discover Samuels Public Library, a shining resource in our new community.  One day I asked Library staff if they needed volunteers. A short time later I found myself helping teach computer classes. In 2010, I joined the Board of Trustees.

Making a difference by addressing local issues and opportunities is something every citizen can do. There are many great organizations in Warren County that give you a chance to share. I chose Samuels Library as one. It is very satisfying to know that my work contributes to helping the Library fulfill its mission of enriching lives and building community.

Sharing time is very rewarding - it can be just as rewarding to invest your dollars in those charitable organizations that share your values.

Mary and I support annual giving to the Library but we will not be around forever to do that. So we recently decided to make a bequest that will enable us to keep giving even after we are gone.

Public funding for libraries will remain under pressure for some time to come. Even with all our Library’s present strengths, we cannot afford to be complacent. I encourage all friends of the Library to consider a gift that will keep on giving. The amount of the gift is not as important as the statement you make by including the Library in your forever plans.

Mary and Brian Bennett

Supporting Family and Community

It was an easy decision for our family to make a planned gift to Samuels as the library has given so much to us over the years and changed our lives in many ways.

• As a young mother with a home daycare, the library’s wonderful collection of books provided a daily celebration of reading for all the children in my care.
• In the library’s book discussion group I met other readers in the community and explored new ideas. Reading the biography of Maria Montessori with Mona Nixon encouraged us to send our children to Montessori school where they flourished.
• The Samuels Holiday Writing Contest inspired my young daughter. She wrote her first story and read it aloud to an audience at the library. Today she is a confident writer and public speaker.
• And now I bring my five-year old grandson to the library and watch him discover the joy of books just as his father did 30 years ago. Having read almost every library book on dinosaurs and amphibians, he has decided he will be a scientist when he grows up.

Samuels library is a cherished part of our lives and our family’s history. A gift is a wonderful way to say thank you.

While we have many personal reasons for making a gift to the library, we also feel that there are important civic reasons to support the library.

The public library is one of the most important institutions in our democracy. It is critical to developing informed and productive citizens and a powerful resource in building community.

The public library recognizes that books enrich readers who, in turn, enrich their community. 

1799, 1836, 1952, and 1973 are all important dates in the history of Samuels Public Library. These dates mark the times individuals took action to make a difference in our community. I urge you to be a part of that history, take action, and join us in growing the legacy of our public library. You can help to make 2020 another important date in the history of Samuels Library!

Lisa Cobb and Jonathan Ezell