Twenty-four hours after I first asked for help in raising $5,000 for the Louisville Free Public Library, here is the situation so far:

  • 40 people have donated a total of $1,295.
  • Contributors are from all over the USA, but also from Canada, England, and New Zealand. The “World” part of Library Society of the World isn’t just a joke.
  • Contributions range from $5 to $100.
  • The average contribution is $33.21, but the median is $20 and the mode is $10.

I think this is wonderful. I have seen this happen on a more intimate scale where a bunch of small contributions from a group of friends adds up quickly to serious money. This is the same thing, but with strangers sending me $100 on PayPal, trusting that I’m not going to buy plane tickets to Costa Rica or something.

I think the fact that most people are giving $10 is wonderful, too. If you are moved by this story, give what you can. It will add up.

I’m also getting a little nervous. It feels very strange to be responsible for more than a thousand dollars of other people’s money. I think I’ll call the LFPL Foundation line tomorrow. Unless they would really prefer to get one check a few weeks from now, I think I’ll clear out the PayPal account a few times between now and September 1 and send several smaller checks.

I’m also nervous that the “buzz” around this will dissipate quickly, and contributions will slow to a trickle. I don’t want to turn this into Pledge Week on NPR, but I will if I have to! Despite Wednesday’s great success, $5,000 is still looking like a challenging figure to reach. But I think we can do it 5, 10, 20, 100 dollars at a time.

Speaking of which, what’s that PayPal address again? It’s LSW.LFPL@gmail.com, or use this handy button:

If you’d rather send a check, send it to the Library Society of the World Clubhouse, PO Box 7893, Colorado Springs CO 80933. Or just send your check directly to:

The Library Foundation
Attn: Flood
301 York St.
Louisville, KY 40203
(502) 574-1709

I have one more little statistic. As of the instant I’m writing this, my post from yesterday on LFPL has been viewed 2,002 times. That makes it my second-most viewed post on the site. The top post, How to Annoy Librarians has been viewed 2,003 times. Perhaps by this instant, love has already surpassed snark.