MANCHESTER, NH – Wednesday, April 7 is National #LibraryGivingDay and the Manchester City Library Foundation has a unique and very special event planned to raise money for the special projects that make the library experience better for all of us.
#LibraryGivingDay is a one-day fundraising event with the goal of encouraging people who depend on and enjoy public libraries to donate to their individual library system. And in turn, that support goes toward the incredible programs, services and materials provided by local libraries all over the country.
#ReadonCamera Library Giving Day will be a new online take on the traditional read-a-thon. For 24 hours, beginning at midnight with local Manchester author Dan Szczesny, and running throughout the day on April 7, political figures, local and nationally known authors, media personalities, and other people of note will read on camera in 15-minute increments.
Each hour will be devoted to a different theme. There will be a science fiction hour, a humor hour, a mystery hour, and many more. Organizers were able to secure readings by noted children’s authors who will fill a Grade 1-5 hour, a Grade 6-8 hour, and a young adult hour. The full schedule of readers and hourly themes can be found here.
The Manchester City Library Foundation typically raises funds through an annual mail campaign and their used book sales. In previous years the foundation has also run various spring fundraisers like fashion shows, and more recently, a wine toss.
While this year’s mail campaign was quite successful, COVID restrictions made the book sales and in-person events unworkable. The library only recently reopened and the board lamented the loss of the social aspects of gatherings in the library, but uncertainty about the trajectory of the pandemic made planning a traditional fundraiser impossible.
New board members Amber-Nicole Cannan and Ben Pasley, suggested an online fundraiser to the rest of the board. They believed that it would be a way to bring the community together to support the library, and they thought it would be a good way to reach a new audience of younger people who might want to support the library.
As an added bonus, thanks to this innovative approach, it is now possible to make donations to the Manchester City Library Foundation online. You can choose to make a one-time donation or sign up to make recurring donations. This capability will remain in place and be a permanent feature on the Library’s website.
Originally, Canaan and Pasley planned to run a low-key event on the Twitch platform with ordinary members of the community taking turns reading in the background while board members and guests encouraged people to donate.
Cannan began reaching out to authors to see if they would be interested in participating. “I contacted every author I ever read, and to my surprise they kept saying yes,” she said. She admits she shouldn’t have been surprised, “Who doesn’t love the library?”
The result is 24 hours of readings by authors with NH connections like John Clayton, Gloria Norris, Mary Roach, and Rebecca Rule, as well as writers from across the country like Jeff Wheeler. Organizers have been posting profiles of guest readers on their Facebook page.
As the event got bigger and better she reached out to Heartwood Media and NH Rocks to provide support. The goal is to record the entire event and post the readings on the City Library website. There may be some challenges due to copyright issues, but they hope to have that all sorted out so people can see it without having to stay awake for all of it.
There are still a few open spots for special guest readers. Interested people can contact the organizers by filling out this form. The original plan was to have people on camera reading silently throughout the fundraiser. Cannan is also looking for volunteers to be those silent readers. If you would like to volunteer to read silently, fill out this form.
How to view the 24-Hour ReadOnCamera Library Giving Day
Simply go to www.twitch.tv/MCL_Foundation on April 7 starting at 12 a.m.
To learn more about the event or the Manchester City Library Foundation visit the Facebook page or webpage.
If you would like to learn more, participate, or donate to the read-a-thon and support #ReadonCamera Library Giving Day or set up a repeating donation visit the website.
The Manchester City Library Foundation is a private, nonprofit corporation committed to providing supplemental support to the Manchester City Library. They contribute to special projects, like the recently completed revamping of the childrens’ room.
