A grant from the Jane Lykken Hoff Endowment Fund through Inland Empire Community Foundation (IECF) is giving the Palm Springs Public Library Foundation (PSPLF) the fuel to sail with ease into the future. The recent grant will specifically allow PSPLF to fund vital library programs and services.
“We’re thrilled to be included as one of the beneficiaries that Jane left to IECF,” said Peter D. Pearson, PSPLF Executive Director. “The great thing about this type of gift is that it’s going to be an annual gift, and every year there will be a withdrawal from that endowment which will help the library purchase books and materials and run programs.”
That queues up nicely with a bold vision for the next evolution of public libraries, Pearson said. These days, when it comes to libraries, it’s not only about the books on hand, but the full modern-day library experience that provides a place for individuals an opportunity to explore, connect, and belong.
“Libraries are so different now than they used to be 25, 50 years ago,” Pearson said. “So often when I speak to people who are older, who haven’t been to a library in many years, they’re always surprised. They say, ‘Well, are libraries still used these days? Do people really need libraries now that everything is on Google?’”
In a word: Yes.
“Libraries are actually more robust than ever,” Pearson added. “People are flocking to public libraries for a variety of reasons. It’s not just books. One of the things we have to remember is there are a number of people in our communities who don’t have internet access at home. That always surprises people.”
He referenced recent research from the Pew Research Center, which discovered that in many communities, about 18 percent of the households lack access to the internet. And while many people have a cell phone, a great many of them cannot afford a decent data plan. As a result, they use their cell phone for texting, for pictures, and for phone calls, but they don’t have the data plan to access the internet, which libraries offer.
Pearson said that alone makes libraries critically important in a community.
“Think about a child living in a home without internet access and what a disadvantage that puts them at when trying to do homework,” he said. “For those kids, the library is the only place where they can really do their homework effectively and get the resources that they need. We have to remember that.”
Pearson also wants residents to be aware of the many book formats offered today.
“People are always surprised to hear that libraries purchase e-books” he said. “Let’s face it, they have become very popular, and you can download an e-book for free from the library if you have a library card. You don’t have to pay Amazon for an e-book.”
To that end, libraries like Palm Springs Public Library offer downloadable library apps via Google and Apple. It all factors into the overall of mission of foundation itself, which is to, “ensure local access to high-quality library services for generations.”
“When I look around in the library and you see every cross-section of the community,” Pearson said. “You see preschoolers, you see kids that are in elementary school, you see college students, you see adults, you see senior citizens, you see people of all races, you see such variety.
“The library is really kind of the equalizer in our community. It’s the place where everyone’s welcome. It doesn’t matter if you’re a billionaire or extremely poor, you are welcome at the library to use all these resources and have access to information about the entire world. What’s most exciting is that this is an institution that literally serves everybody, not just a small cross-section of the community.”
On the horizon is a multi-million-dollar interior renovation project for Palm Springs Public Library that will begin in spring 2025. Pearson said library services will be temporarily moved until the completion.
The renovation plans include expanded meeting spaces, areas designed for teens, improved parking, and a unique restoration of the building’s original color motif, among other things.
Learn more at pslibraryfoundation.org.
This story originally appeared in the Desert Sun, September 2024.
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