New fund supports Loudonville Library’s Perrysville Branch
December 5, 2022
ASHLAND – Accessing information has never been easier in Perrysville, thanks to the Living Legacy Foundation of the Loudonville Public Library’s efforts to bring an automated 24-Hour Library to the village.
Now, the Living Legacy Foundation is raising funds to ensure the unit can remain operational for years to come.
Known as the Perrysville Branch of the Loudonville Public Library, the automated unit allows library card holders to borrow and return items, place and pick up holds and download digital items. The branch also serves as the village’s only free public internet hotspot.
Since its opening in June 2022, the Perrysville Branch has been used heavily by library patrons and is growing in popularity. But the unit is expensive to maintain, prompting LLF to plan for sustainability.
With a $5,000 matching grant from Ashland County Community Foundation, Living Legacy Foundation has created a $10,000 endowment fund at ACCF for the Perrysville Branch. This fund is separate from LLF’s general endowment fund, which supports the Loudonville Public Library more broadly.
“We applaud the Living Legacy Foundation for bringing this valuable resource to Perrysville, and for working toward a sustainable future for the branch,” said ACCF President/CEO Jim Cutright. “This grant is in alignment with our goal of helping our local nonprofits build capacity to fulfill their missions in service of the Ashland County community.”
Over the next several years, with the help of donations from community members, LLF hopes to grow the fund to $300,000. All dollars donated—the principal— will be invested in perpetuity.
Their goal of raising $73,000 per year over four years would provide enough income to support the annual maintenance cost for the automated unit and to help cover other expenses, such as software and hardware updates.
“In just two years, amid the challenges of a pandemic, Living Legacy Foundation raised $181,000 to purchase and install the automated unit—a clear demonstration of the community’s enthusiastic support for the project,” said LFF President John Miller. “We’re confident our caring community will come alongside us once again to grow this endowment fund and make sure Perrysville residents and neighbors of the village can continue to access library resources close to home.”
Contributions to the fund may be made online here or by mailing a check made out to Ashland County Community Foundation, with “Perrysville Branch Fund” in the memo line, to Ashland County Community Foundation, 300 College Ave. Ashland, OH 44805.
About Ashland County Community Foundation: Ashland County Community Foundation advances philanthropy and improves the quality of life in Ashland County by connecting people who care with causes that matter. ACCF has awarded over $22 million in scholarships, grants and distributions.
About Living Legacy Foundation: The Living Legacy Foundation exists to assist the Loudonville Public Library by providing funds for specific projects. LLF has supported the library’s purchases of an interactive whiteboard and videoconferencing unit; board books for parents of newborn babies at UH Samaritan Medical Center; exterior lighting fixtures; and the Perrysville Branch 24-Hour Library.