King County Library System Foundation and King County Library System work in tandem to ensure that long-standing, successful library programs and new, innovative programs can meet the rising needs of patrons and greater community. The mission of KCLS is to provide free, open, and equal access to ideas and information to all members of the community. KCLSF’s mission is to promote literacy, learning, and libraries. Together KCLSF and KCLS provide a valuable community service leveraging county tax dollars that provide the infrastructure and services with additional funding from individuals, foundations, and corporations that go beyond public funding to expand and enrich library programs. Libraries must innovate and be nimble to remain relevant and useful as technology and user habits change and as the population of King County grows and diversifies. KCLSF provides essential funding for materials and services that tax dollars do not--like the required books and workbooks for classes like SAT prep and citizenship, reader incentives, and digital media stations. More often KCLS is going “beyond the building” to reach residents in their communities for Let's Read! and Library2go! vans. A program like Global Reading Challenge that is a collaboration between public schools and KCLS would not happen without the expertise of KCLS librarians and the KCLSF funding for books and program materials. Donate to the King County Library System Foundation and you can make a difference in a child's by putting a book in her hands.