The Books I've Read Have Made Me

“I cannot remember the books I've read any more than the meals I have eaten; even so, they have made me.” -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dear Library Friend:

Summertime is when I reflect on the journeys I made as a child simply by sitting in my library. Books were my plane, my boat, my less traveled path. Books were my windows to worlds I would never know, experiences I had not yet experienced, challenges and questions that I would one day face.

Our books define us as much as our families, our communities, and our friends. You know the impact of books and the libraries that house them. You understand how important it is that Jefferson County residents have access to quality library services, and I appreciate your past dedication and support of the Public Libraries In Jefferson County.

The Public Libraries In Jefferson County, through our “40 Libraries . 1 County . 1 Card” system, connects all of our hometown libraries. Our members have access to resources they would not have if the libraries were separate. This past year, with your help, JCLC provided vital services to you and

• Nearly 400 thousand residents of Jefferson County who have a JCLC library card
• We loaned over 5 million books, downloadable eBooks and audiobooks, DVDs and music
• Over 1 million patrons used JCLC’s online catalog which provides access to nearly 2 million items
• 4 million items were transported countywide to a convenient pickup location
• People performed millions of Internet searches
• Nearly 1 million people visited the JCLC website, jclc.org

Together we will continue to provide better, more efficient library services for all county residents. I respectfully request that you consider making a summer gift to the Public Libraries In Jefferson County. You can mail your donation to 2100 Park Place, Birmingham, Alabama 35203, drop off your donation at your local library, or make your donation online. I appreciate your consideration and hope you and your family have been frequent visitors at libraries through out Jefferson County this summer.

Sincerely,
Pat Ryan

Patricia F. Ryan
Executive Director
Jefferson County Library Cooperative

P.S. Check out library programs on MakingCents - Resources to help your money grow, part of the Smart investing@your library® series, a partnership between the American Library Association and the FINRA Investor Education Foundation. You can find program listings at http://www.making-cents.org.