Raising and managing funds to ensure a world-class public library system that serves all people in Deschutes County.
WHAT WE DO
The Deschutes Public Library Foundation works to provide sustainable funding for programs and outreach services not funded through taxes. You are invited to make an investment in the future of our communities by donating to sustain these vital library services and resources.
PROGRAMS
Author! Author!
The Author! Author! literary series brings award-winning authors to Central Oregon to share their books and engage audiences in discussions regarding their work. This series expands the literary landscape of Central Oregon, improves literacy in the region, and strengthens community dialogue. Local high schools are provided with books written by visiting authors, and authors often make presentations to at-risk youth to highlight the power of writing and reading. All proceeds from Author! Author! ticket sales benefit the Library’s youth, teen, and senior programs and services.
Youth Initiatives
Early Learning Spaces build the foundation for young children to enter school ready to learn by fostering curiosity and promoting the five early literacy activities: read, play, talk, write, sing/rhyme. These spaces are designed to nurture children ages 0 to 5 and strengthen families by providing a safe, accessible, and educational area for children and caregivers to interact.
​
Summer with the Library for all ages offers children, teens, and adults the opportunity to participate in numerous activities that encourage reading and life-long learning. More than 5,000 children, teens, and adults participate every year. According to national research, children must continue reading during the summer or they are at risk of losing up to 67% of their reading skills during the summer months.
A Novel Idea
Through A Novel Idea… Read Together, thousands of Deschutes County residents share the common bond of reading a selected book and participating in related cultural and literacy events each spring. "A Novel Idea" is the largest community read program in the state of Oregon and is supported 100% by donations and grants. The robust free programming that supports "A Novel Idea," as well as the author's culminating visit, is made possible by the work of the Deschutes Public Library Foundation and its donors. To learn more about “A Novel Idea…Read Together,” click here.