New Westfield Memorial Library Foundation President looks forward to re-invigorating the Foundation

Established in 2010, the Westfield Memorial Library Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the financial support of the library. Generously supported by contributions from Westfield residents and businesses, and patrons from the surrounding area, it has funded many important projects over the years, such as new laptops, chairs for the public computer stations, and furniture in the Teen section of the library.

 The newest President of the Foundation, which is staffed by volunteers, is John Davies. In describing his position, he said, “At the moment, my role mainly consists of re-invigorating the Foundation. This work is mostly infrastructure, including re-establishing the Foundation’s website, evaluating payment platforms to securely process donations, and applying for programs that will help the Foundation in its mission. I’m also working closely with our Library Board of Trustees and Allen McGinley, our Library Director, to understand how best the Foundation can support the library’s goals.”

As a resident of Westfield for the past seventeen years, John said that the library has been a place of study, research, learning, and fun for him, his wife and their two boys. “More than just a quiet place of focus, the library is a community anchor supporting everything from learning a new language or acquiring new technical skills through music and arts programming,” he said. “There is truly something for every member of our community at our Library and serving on the Foundation gives me a chance to support that mission.”

As 2022 ends and 2023 begins, John said that the Foundation will be opening up applications to fill Foundation Board positions. He encourages residents to keep an eye on the library’s website for opportunities to serve the community through these roles.

This coming year will be the 150th anniversary of the library’s founding, and the Foundation is looking forward to supporting the library as it establishes itself as one of New Jersey’s leading libraries. According to John, future Foundation campaigns will provide long-term support for the library’s facilities and programming. They will also ensure that the library remains a deeply central part of the community.

Stop by the library at 550 East Broad Street, visit the website at www.wmlnj.org, or facebook.com/wmlnj and see how the library can make your life in Westfield even better.

Stop by the library at 550 East Broad Street, visit the website at
www.wmlnj.org, or facebook.com/wmlnj and see how the library can make your life in Westfield even better.