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Support the Library
The Chicago Public Library Foundation’s mission is to support collection development, program and technology initiatives that connect Library users to their community and to the world and ensure that all Chicagoans have the freedom to read, to learn and to discover at the Chicago Public Library.
The Foundation was created in 1986 by visionary civic leaders who shared a conviction that private resources are essential to keeping the outstanding Chicago Public Library truly world-class. Established in the spirit of true public/private partnership with the City, the Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization. Through the generous support of many civic-minded individuals, corporations and foundations, the Foundation has provided start-up funding for new programs, such as technology and expanded Sunday and evening service hours, that are now included in the Library’s city-funded budget.
Foundation-funded programs, such as One Book, One Chicago, Teacher in the Library, the Summer Learning Challenge, Great Kids Read and support for neighborhood library locations, keep the spirit of books and the thrill of discovery alive for all Chicagoans.