Please Donate Today

As 2012 concludes, so does the Institute Library's first full calendar year of its recent renaissance, and what a year it's been! It is hard to imagine that only two years ago, the library was open only fifteen hours a week, with a vanishing membership and rumors of permanent closure. Today, with a robust schedule of events and community programs, the library stands proudly again as one of New Haven's oldest institutions and most important living symbols of democratic life and learning.

Our revitalization is still very much a work in progress, and we invite you to continue helping in this effort through volunteering, making a charitable gift, or simply stopping by for an event or a chat with the staff.

As a special incentive to give to this year's annual campaign, a long-time library member has generously offered a matching challenge grant in the amount of $1000 if we can raise at least the same amount from our members between now and February 1. Even the most modest donation is a meaningful contribution to the growth and long-term sustainability of the library—and, in turn, to the city of New Haven—so, if you have not yet had an opportunity to donate this year, please consider making a gift online today.

Vicki Pacileo and Meg Black at the Institute Library

Vicki Pacileo and Meg Black are hard at work processing this year's donations.

A Message from Institute Library President Gregory Pepe and Executive Director Will Baker

December 4, 2012

Dear Friends,

Over the past two years, thanks to the dedication of its staff, volunteers, and donors, the Institute Library has resumed its historic role as a dynamic, democratic center of cultural life in New Haven. What does this mean?

For readers, the Institute Library is a haven where one always finds a warm greeting, a comfortable spot for reading a book or a newspaper, and an expanding variety of titles to borrow. It is a refuge for reader and book alike, a place where the written word—and our experience of it in ink and paper—will always be prized.
For members and neighbors, the Library is a venue for fascinating talks, performances, poetry readings, and monthly events like Amateur Hour, our widely acclaimed conversation series about the passions and pursuits of America's "most inspiring fanatics, obsessives, tinkerers, and collectors."
For artists and art lovers, the Gallery at the Institute Library offers a place to explore, reflect upon, and contribute to finely curated exhibitions of contemporary art. Nine shows over the past year have featured the works of more than 50 accomplished artists and introduced hundreds of new visitors to our space.
For middle and high school students, the Library provides an avenue for independent growth and expression, through private exploration as well as structured programming like the Poetry Out Loud poetry recitation competition and The Word, a new project beginning this spring that will bring poets and spoken-word artists into the classrooms of some of New Haven's most under-served schools.

Put simply, the Library is a place where a special community—of both members and non-members—gathers to exchange ideas through literature, civil discourse, and artistic expression. This is a valuable and significant service to the city and the region. As we approach the end of the year, and as you begin to reflect upon the people and institutions that are most important to you, we hope that you will think about the many ways that the Institute Library makes your life—and the lives of so many people in the New Haven area—richer.

Now more than ever, the financial support of people like you is crucial to ensuring that the Library can thrive. We look forward to thanking our most committed supporters with a special event in the coming months, so please give generously. Together, we will continue to foster a vital and diverse community that believes in the power of ideas to "improve the moment!"

With sincere thanks and best wishes,

Gregory J. Pepe, President

William C. Baker, Executive Director

P.S. If you would like to discuss making a restricted use or capital gift, or remembering the Institute Library in your will or trust, please contact Benjamin Yousey-Hindes at 203-623-8286 or development@institutelibrary.org.

To make a donation online through PayPal or credit card please click here. If you would prefer to send a check, please make it out to The Insitute Library and send to:

The Institute Library
847 Chapel Street
New Haven, CT 06510

The Institute Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community organization. Your donation may be fully tax-deductible.