Key Takeaways
- • Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the creation of the Fund for the Boston Public Library with $2.8 million in initial donations and a target of raising an additional $3 million at an inaugural fundraising gala scheduled for June 7, 2019.
- • The fund will support programming, services, technology infrastructure, preservation and restoration of historic facilities, and expansion of rare collections across the central library and its 25 branches, complementing the city's approximately $50 million annual budget.
- • Jeff Hawkins, deputy managing partner of Bain Capital and newly appointed library trustee, will chair the fund's board of directors, while Mary Flynn Myers, formerly president of the Campaign for Catholic Schools, was named executive director.
- • The philanthropic initiative addresses the evolving role of libraries and aims to ensure the Boston Public Library system remains free and operates at the highest operational level across all Boston communities.
Summary
Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the establishment of the Fund for the Boston Public Library on May 28, 2019, positioning it as a dedicated philanthropic vehicle to supplement municipal funding and expand the library system's capacity. The city currently funds approximately $50 million of the library's budget annually, but Walsh indicated that private capital would enable investments in infrastructure, technology, and programming that extend beyond traditional municipal constraints.
The fund launched with $2.8 million in committed donations and organizers projected raising an additional $3 million at a June 7 fundraising gala. According to Boston Globe reporting and subsequent library communications, the fund's mission encompasses library programming and public services, technology modernization, preservation and restoration of historic facilities including the central McKim building, and acquisition and care of rare book and manuscript collections serving the library's 25-branch system.
Leadership appointments underscore private sector engagement with the initiative. Jeff Hawkins of Bain Capital, recently appointed as a library trustee, will serve as chair of the fund's board, while Mary Flynn Myers, formerly heading the Campaign for Catholic Schools, was named executive director. Both will work alongside library director David Leonard in overseeing operations. Hawkins emphasized the library's cultural significance, referencing the architecturally prominent Johnson building at the central branch and noting that "the philanthropic community is recognizing that we have a jewel amongst our midst that deserves supporting."
Walsh framed the fund within broader municipal priorities, stating: "The Fund for the Boston Public Library will generate the resources needed to ensure that the entire library system operates at the highest level possible, meets the needs of every person and community in Boston, and remains free to all." The timing reflects a transitional period for the library system as institutional roles evolve and demand for culturally anchored civic resources increases.
The fund launched with $2.8 million in committed donations and organizers projected raising an additional $3 million at a June 7 fundraising gala. According to Boston Globe reporting and subsequent library communications, the fund's mission encompasses library programming and public services, technology modernization, preservation and restoration of historic facilities including the central McKim building, and acquisition and care of rare book and manuscript collections serving the library's 25-branch system.
Leadership appointments underscore private sector engagement with the initiative. Jeff Hawkins of Bain Capital, recently appointed as a library trustee, will serve as chair of the fund's board, while Mary Flynn Myers, formerly heading the Campaign for Catholic Schools, was named executive director. Both will work alongside library director David Leonard in overseeing operations. Hawkins emphasized the library's cultural significance, referencing the architecturally prominent Johnson building at the central branch and noting that "the philanthropic community is recognizing that we have a jewel amongst our midst that deserves supporting."
Walsh framed the fund within broader municipal priorities, stating: "The Fund for the Boston Public Library will generate the resources needed to ensure that the entire library system operates at the highest level possible, meets the needs of every person and community in Boston, and remains free to all." The timing reflects a transitional period for the library system as institutional roles evolve and demand for culturally anchored civic resources increases.
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