Programs & Services
The following Library Foundation sponsored programs and services benefit the entire Fairfax County Public Library system. We also help individual branches. Each is made possible thanks to the generosity of donors like you!
Early Literacy Outreach
Fairfax Futures
The Fairfax Library Foundation is a proud member of Fairfax Futures, an investment in school readiness. The Foundation supports the Fairfax County Public Library's early childhood literacy outreach programs.
We know that parents and caregivers make the best role models for children; that children who are read to become successful students; that good reading skills enable families to be economically secure; and that strong families make strong communities.
Every Child Ready To Read
Fairfax County Public Library’s Early Literacy initiative is primarily based on the Public Library Association’s Every Child Ready to Read model. The library offers The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Motheread®/Fatheread® literacy outreach program to serve preschool children and their parents or caregivers.
To help ensure the long-term sustainability of early childhood literacy, the Library Foundation raises supplemental support through grants and public and private funds from individuals, foundations and corporations for Fairfax County Public Library literacy programs.
Supporting volunteerism
Boomers and seniors were invited to attend in the annual Venture into Volunteering fair at the Herndon Senior Center in May, 2008. Adults wanting to make a difference were matched with volunteer opportunities at library branches and our community that utilizes their expertise. This annual event was cosponsored by the Fairfax County Public Library, Department of Family Services' Fairfax Area Agency on Aging, Volunteer Fairfax, the Retires and Senior Volunteer Program. The Fairfax Library Foundation proudly provided the $100 gift certificate to the Great American Restaurants as the grand prize.
ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program
Radford University student, Maricela Prudencio (pictured second from left) was selected as the Fairfax Library Foundation’s 2006 ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program intern. She promoted literacy and pleasure reading by assisting with the organization of Motheread®/Fatheread® literacy outreach programs in addition to managing book giveaways through the Groveton Summer Reading Van serving children in Alexandria. This internship was made possible by a grant from ExxonMobil.
Summer Reading Program
Local businesses, Friends of the Library and many other sponsors encourage Fairfax County children to read during summer vacation through the annual Summer Reading Program. Organizations donated more than $1 million worth of prizes to kids who finished reading the required number of books.
“Sponsorships bring incentives that attract young readers to the program,” says Bobbi Longworth, executive director of the library foundation. Longworth threw the ceremonial first pitch at the at Potomac Nationals game in recognition of their support. The team donated tickets to Potomac Nationals games to Summer Reading Program participants.
These events were free to the public and primarily underwritten by the Friends of the George Mason Regional Library with a donation of $30,000.
Summer Reading Program Endowment
Friends of The George Mason Regional Library in Annandale generously donate proceeds from book sales to the Fairfax Library Foundation The ultimate goal is to build a $500,000 endowment that will fund the Library’s Summer Reading Program in perpetuity.
Putting on such successful book sales is no small task. Dedicated volunteers put in more than 1,700 hours to prepare for one sale. Much of the work to create the large endowment has been done by a core of long-time volunteers that work year-round.
"Overall the George Mason Friends have been the single largest contributor to benefit the system, after the Board of Supervisors," says Library Director Edwin S. Clay, III. "This Library Foundation managed endowment ensures the future of our popular and outstanding Summer Reading Program."
Inova Health Information Partnership
Now We Are FiveEach year children enter kindergarten late or unprepared. Through the Fairfax Library Foundation, Inova Health System has funded the "Now We Are Five" project, which augments the Library’s traditional Summer Reading Program. This special program, for children entering kindergarten, gifted each child with a Literacy Loot bag that contains a copy of Harry Goes to School, and a comparable book in Spanish; checklists for school readiness; and Library and health information.
For over seven years, INOVA Health System has brought together the worlds of information, health, and literature to the diverse community we both serve. Although there have been many individual projects along the way, three programs have formed the centerpiece in our efforts to build a vibrant and healthy community: information "triage" (the sharing of the Fairfax Hospital Health Sciences Library), the Ask the Expert series at library branches, and the Literature and Medicine discussion groups. In recognition of INOVA's outstanding contributions to this successful partnership.