Elk Rapids District Library’s Capital Campaign

Together, creating a space for community connection.

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Get inspired with Campaign Co-Chairs, Bill and Paula…

Dear friends and supporters of the Elk Rapids community,

Envision stepping into a light-filled space where…

  • Children learn through play and develop literacy skills.

  • Teens find a safe place to meet friends and be themselves.

  • Folks of all ages experience programs that help them learn and grow with current and emerging technology.

  • Young adults meet others with common interest.

  • Parents connect and support each other.

  • Seniors pursue new passions.

  • Everyone comes together to enjoy music, art and a sense of community.

It has been said that libraries “raise everyone up,” offering all people access to the tools they need to stay informed, educated and connected.

Malala Yousafzai once wrote, “Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world.”

Following a comprehensive strategic planning process and feasibility study, The Elk Rapids District Library is embarking on an effort to raise $7 million to renovate the newly purchased building.

A community-wide capital campaign—”A Library For Everybody”—of $3.5 million will be matched by an eventual bond initiative to balance the funding plan. The effort will enable the library to expand space and the room it needs to thrive in the future—all while preserving the intimacy that we have come to love from our current library.

Combining a love of books with modern media literacy is now part of library culture, and when a library can offer both, it creates a solid foundation for a collaborative and connected community. As you will see, our vision for the new library extends well beyond books. For all to have equal access, literacy, and connection, we need to bridge the gaps for all populations.

This is where you can make a life-changing impact for yourself and your community.

We have exciting plans to transform the new library campus on Cairn Highway to offer both indoor and outdoor features that will no doubt provide us a center for connection that will truly anchor the village.

Through donations, grants, and the community itself, we hope to make this project a reality.

Please join us in thinking outside the books!

Bill Donberg and Paula Jorge

Elk Rapids District Library Capital Campaign Co-Chairs

About the Library

Project Details

With the new building and relocation of the library, we will be able to make an impact in key areas of need in our community.


We took the first step…and saw immediate benefits!

In 2024, the library purchased a former manufacturer building on Cairn Highway in Elk Rapids, and the impact was immediate. Key benefits include:

  • Repurposing an empty building

  • Sidewalk and crosswalk access to Elk Rapids schools

  • Ample parking, handicap spaces, and room for buses and public transportation

  • 14,000 sq. ft., doubling our current space, with meetings already underway

  • Centrally located within the district we serve

What a library for everybody will look like


The total initial investment, based upon a projected 2026 construction schedule, is estimated at $7 million. Our funding goal is to raise half the amount in private donations and grants and half in a short term millage/bond to the community.  Every dollar raised beyond the $3.5 million goal may reduce the amount needed for the millage/bond or be allocated to approved future investment areas within the new library.

The breakdown of those probable costs are as follows:

Make a life-changing impact

There are several ways that you can make a life-changing impact for our beautiful Elk Rapids District Library community.

By supporting the “A Library For Everybody” capital campaign, you’re directly moving the library’s mission forward and helping to expand critically important services for your community.

Through any giving option you choose, your gift will make a positive difference for you and your fellow community members today and for generations to come.

An immediate benefit of giving today is that your contributions are tax-deductible in the year of payment!

Have questions regarding your giving options?
Click the button below to connect with our campaign team.


Commemorative and Naming Opportunities

While all gifts to the library campaign will be acknowledged and listed in a public area in the new building, gifts of $25,000 and above are eligible for a range of naming opportunities.

Whether your gift is through donation, cash, securities, or other means, these are opportunities for an individual, family, or organization to be acknowledged and celebrated for contributing so prominently to the library’s future.

Events

At this time, there are no upcoming scheduled events. Please check back soon for updates on our campaign-related programs and activities.

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