Branches of the Washington County Library will receive a holiday gift of more than 2,000 large-print and children's books after a fundraising drive.
Washington County Library Partners donated $14,700 in its "2,012 in 2012" campaign and presented the money to the county board last week. The goal was to raise enough money to buy 2,012 books, said Ken Stone, president of the foundation board.
The Washington County Library has struggled with funding challenges in recent years. The budget for purchased books in 2012 was reduced by $100,000, and in addition to the Library Partners' fundraiser, the county has been seeking donations.
In January, all six branch libraries will reopen on Mondays through the school year -- a result of public concern over reduced hours.
The county also has affiliations with "express" libraries at Hugo, Marine on St. Croix and Newport.
For more information about the foundation, see www.librarypartners.org.
