In 2025, donors generously contributed $128,000-- far exceeding our fundraising goal!
Thank you for supporting the library through the Wright Memorial Public Library Foundation.
Donor Rolls: 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017. Capital Campaign Donors 2020-21
Wright Library Foundation Exceeds Goal
For over eighty years, Wright Library has proudly served the Oakwood community by providing diverse opportunities for lifelong learning and personal growth. Funding for many of the library’s high-impact programs, materials, and services comes from the Wright Memorial Public Library Foundation, and we are humbled by the generosity of our donors to the 2025 Annual Campaign. The Foundation raised $128,000, surpassing not only the campaign goal, but also making this the best annual fundraising campaign in Library Foundation history.
“I am so grateful to our generous and growing community of donors,” said Library Director Kristi Hale. “These gifts allow us to provide so many exciting collections and experiences that tax dollars alone would not allow. We can’t wait to put these gifts to use for the community.”
In 2025, the Foundation supported several library offerings including award-winning author visits including Jonathan Auxier, Sir Dermot Turing, Rebecca E.F. Barone, and Dayton Literary Peace Prize runner up and Pulitzer Prize winner Gilbert King; teen exam breaks and service projects for House of Bread and Robert-Bourassa Bibliotheque in Outremont, Quebec; ecology programs and interpretation in the Native Plant Gardens; and a community-partnered opportunity to develop and host the exhibit, Breaking the Code: Dayton's Secret Role in World War II, which tells the story of Oakwood native Joseph Desch and Dayton's role in WWII codebreaking amidst an authentic Enigma Machine and other codebreaking objects on loan from the National Cryptologic Museum.
The Foundation also continued support for the popular Author Talks Online virtual series, a film license, summer reading, and ROKU streaming services. In addition to its annual fund campaign, the Library Foundation also manages major gifts and estate giving to support the library’s legacy.
With gratitude,
Kristi Hale, Library Director
Caitlin Benton, 2025 Foundation Board President
The Wright Library Foundation
Created in 1997, the Wright Memorial Public Library Foundation was formed to operate exclusively to advance the library's goals, objectives, and priorities.
Contributions have been used to improve patron services and collections, preserve local history, secure unique authors and programs, and provide education and awareness of current technologies and trends that are important to the community.
The Foundation is also a proud partner in the library’s summer reading club, funding books for children who reach reading milestones throughout the summer.
The Wright Library Foundation accepts financial gifts year-round.