Over 20 Years of Redwood City Public Library Support
Since 1998 the Redwood City Library Foundation has raised over $3 million to provide funding for important library programs.
Our Mission
Our mission is to support the Redwood City Library in cultivating literacy, life-long learning, and community connections.
Our Vision
We envision a community where everyone has access to information, knowledge and technology.
The Foundation is a not-for-profit organization 501(c)(3) established in 1998 and governed by a volunteer board of directors. A professional staff raises and administers gifts and ensures the effectiveness of funded programs.
Working with individual, foundation, and corporate donors, the Foundation acts as the “fundraising arm” of the library. We solicit donations to support specific services, improvements, collections and programs. We work with the Library to identify the best way donors’ gifts can enhance the Library and meet the ever changing needs of the community.
Introducing the Foundation’s new Executive Director, Lisa Hicks-Dumanske
RCLF is excited to announce that, after an extensive regional search, we have selected Lisa Hicks-Dumanske as our next Executive Director. Lisa joins the Foundation on April 13, 2020, and will be building upon the legacy of our outgoing Executive Director Rouslana Yaroslavsky. We are grateful to Rouslana for her many contributions and for staying on and seeing us through this long process.
“We set out to find a leader with the vision to build upon the successes over the last 22 years and the acumen to develop RCLF into an even more effective philanthropic platform to serve our local libraries.” said John Blake, Board President.
“Lisa Hicks-Dumanske is that leader. She is a proven social impact leader with deep experience in creating and implementing strategic plans, developing new ways of increasing community engagement, and leveraging her creativity and smarts to navigate the tides of growth for our Foundation. We are thrilled to have Lisa join and lead us.”
Lisa has dedicated more than two decades to building meaningful relationships between donors, foundations, and nonprofits. Most recently, Lisa was Development Director at CuriOdyssey science and wildlife center in San Mateo, CA, where she led their annual giving program during a time of great growth.
We welcome Lisa and look forward to her leadership!
Newsletter Update
Due to the shelter-in-place restrictions, we will be unable to mail paper copies of the Spring Newsletter. Use the link below to access a printable PDF of the newsletter.
Programs We Support
We provide funding for resources, programs and services that take our library system to a new level of excellence.
Our Events
From fundraising dinners to festivals that atrract thousands of people, there's something for everyone.
Meet the Team
Find out more about the team of people behind the Redwood City Public Library Foundation.
Hotspots Update
The digital divide has never been more apparent than during the current pandemic shelter-in-place restrictions. One response of the Redwood City Public Library, with support from the RCLF, has been to purchase more hotspots to make available to those without internet connectivity at home.
In March, the library purchased 100 new hotspots and passed out 80 of them to students in response to requests from Familas Unidas, Upward Scholars, Project READ, and others, including Peninsula College Fund requests for hotspots for community college students. Casa Circulo Cultural received the remaining 20 devices.
The library currently has 235 hotspots circulating with 816 annual circulations through the end of March. As of March 31, the Fair Oaks library had 412 hotspot circulations and the Downtown library had 327. Under normal circumstances, each hotspot is checked out approximately 12-14 times per year. Each hotspot can provide internet access to multiple people in a household.
As we continue social distancing, universal internet access will be an ongoing need. The fact that there were over 13,000 logins to WiFi at the four libraries in both April and May, while the libraries were closed, is evidence that many families are still without internet connectivity at home. Your donations to the Bridging the Digital Program will allow the library to continue supporting our community.
Have Some Fun During COVID and Help the Library at the Same Time
The library is looking for volunteers to read children’s stories for the Library Community Online Stories program. Anyone is welcome to participate. RCLF Executive Director Lisa Hicks-Dumanske was one of last week’s readers. Pick your own favorite children’s book or let the library suggest some. You can come to the library to read or they will come to you. Masks and social distancing will be observed.
Even better if you can read in another language!
To volunteer or if you have questions, contact Pam Evans with the Library Youth Services Team at pevans@redwoodcity.org.
Several of the Redwood City Library Foundation's board members have joined Lisa reading stories Watch Nancy Radcliffe, Bob Carr and Carla Sillin read their stories.
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Newsletter
Redwood City Library Foundation's Newsletter is published twice a year - once in the spring and once in the fall.
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Thank You to our Major Donors
