Chicagoist Reader Steps Up To The Plate For Library

By Kevin Robinson in News on Aug 21, 2009 2:00PM

Yesterday we told you about eight year old Shawna Lewis of Robbins, Illinois, who had the audacity to stand in front of her public library and ask the President of the United States to help keep it open.

A few hours after we posted about it, MG Farrelly (himself an unemployed librarian) sent us an email about the conversation he had with the good folks at the Robbins Public Library.

I was reading your entry about the William Leonard Public Library and decided to help out. I contacted the library and spoke to Ms. Coatney. These poor folks don't even have a website set-up. So, with her permission, I made them one: http://wlpld.wordpress.com/

It includes all the information people might need to help the library, including a paypal account and where people can mail funds as well. I also set them up with a twitter account, cause everyone should have one. I'm going to move them to a more permanent site this weekend, but these folks need help quick and wordpress.org is dirt simple. If you can pass the link along that would be swell. I know a couple people commented about wanting to send donations.

Thanks for posting that story, I hope these folks get to keep their library.

If you don't feel good about using Paypal, or don't care to sign up (seriously, ask my sister about that!), you can mail funds to Friends of the William Leonard Public Library Board, in care of Priscilla Coatney, Library Administrator at 13822 Central Park, Robbins, IL 60472. A fundraiser will also be held at the library on August 29th at 5 p.m.