Origami Cranes

In March 2020, when the pandemic forced us to close the library doors for a while, we were in the middle of a fundraising project at the Snyder County Libraries. The aim of the project was to create a senbazuru, that is to fold a thousand origami cranes and tie all of them in a string. It is said that those who accomplish this task within a year will have their wish granted.

Well, we obviously weren't able to accomplish the task, but we did manage to hang 747 cranes and raise $18,675 before the shutdown! And those of you who have seen the display can attest that it really is visually stunning! It is for these reasons that we have decided to continue this project and go beyond our original goal of 1000 cranes.

Snyder County Libraries has been providing a wide range of services and library materials to our community for over 80 years, and the pandemic has not stopped our efforts. It costs over $440,000 annually to keep the libraries open and to serve all who enter our doors. This year we will be spending $53,280 on new books, DVDs, magazines, and other materials. Many people don't have access to a computer, the Internet, or a printer, and we provide all these services. And even in the age of social distancing, we offer a variety of virtual programs for all ages, such as Mother Goose on the Loose, storytimes, book clubs, and our summer reading program. In fact, we have seen that, through virtual programming, we are able to offer our programs to so many more people, and we are striving to be able to expand our virtual offerings to many more patrons.

In order to have our wish come true, we at Snyder County Libraries need your help! With the Origami Cranes Fundraiser, our goal is to raise the necessary funds to continue providing services at all four of our libraries and to meet any needs that may arise due to the current COVID-19 situation. Therefore, we will add one crane to our display for every $25 donated. In celebration of our donors' generosity, these cranes will be hung in the Gelnett Library's central stairwell - and hopefully in other areas of our building and the branch libraries, where they may be enjoyed and appreciated by all library visitors. These cranes also offer an opportunity to honor or memorialize loved ones or simply to share your personal support for our libraries. We want to thank you for helping make our wish come true!

Sincerely,

Pamela G. Ross, Executive Director

On behalf of the Board, Staff, and Volunteers of Snyder County Libraries