The Library Foundation focuses its funding in three areas:

Literacy
The Library–home of books, technology, curiosity, and knowledge–is an obvious place for literacy to be supported and celebrated at all ages. For over a decade, Multnomah County Library has shown a commitment to very young children’s literacy, with programs such as storytimes for parents, babies, toddlers, and preschoolers and Early Words, which reaches childcare providers. Programs like Books 2 U and Summer Reading inspire older children to continue reading outside of school assignments, strengthening their literacy while enjoying good books. And Everybody Reads–a program through which the entire community is encouraged to read a single book–promotes and celebrates literacy for adults. Through Everybody Reads, senior citizens join book groups, teenagers discuss books with their parents, and incarcerated youth may read a book cover to cover for the first time.

Learning for a Lifetime
The Library Foundation’s vision is for every person to build a relationship with learning–and libraries–that will last a lifetime. This relationship introduces the library at birth with New Parent Early Literacy Packages and grows through Raising a Reader, Summer Reading, Homework Help and adult programs like Everybody Reads and CyberSeniors. The Library Foundation raises funds to make many of these programs more powerful and extend their reach, so that everyone is encouraged to never stop learning.

Vibrant Community
The Library is the home of all that defines us as a community: our intelligence, dreams, struggles, and passions. Central Library, and the 16 neighborhood libraries, are the embodiment of our shared wisdom and memories. They hold within their walls–and celebrate in their outreach and programs–the arts, music, news, history, stories, civic dialogue, and more. Our Library system is an essential part of what makes our community livable and draws people here. In a way, our great Library is the inheritance of every individual in this county, regardless of their age or background. The Library Foundation raises funds to ensure that this inheritance lives in perpetuity, and that it is continually added to, and made available to all people.