Susan Olszewski Stone Honorary Library Endowment

For over 100 years, the Susquehanna County Historical Society and Free Library Association (SCHS&FLA) has been proudly serving our county-wide communities—preserving and sharing our local history while building a network of free libraries that serve as hubs of not only information, but of friendship and aid.

But many of the very things that make the SCHS&FLA so special also present the greatest challenges. Because the simple fact is, free services still require funding. And while the county is generous in its support, there’s an inevitable gap every year that we have to fill through philanthropic donations.

Any venture like ours depends on the generosity of those we serve, that is, on the support of the community. It’s a constant struggle—functions as basic as keeping the lights on and paying our staff a proper wage require a steady stream of philanthropic support. And while vital to our ongoing success, our normal annual fundraising efforts have only gone so far. As we work to steadily improve our services—like building better children’s programs, investing in technology, and offering more and more personalized services—we’ll continue to rely on your loyal support through our annual Support Drive and other revenue-generating efforts.

A letter from Sue Stone:

Dear Friends,

This will sound ironic coming from a retired librarian and lifelong advocate of learning, but I simply don’t have the proper words to thank you—the members of our community. For over 40 years, you blessed me with your friendship as we bonded over our shared love for the SCHS&FLA. You’ve also blessed the entire organization with your generous support over the years. And we remain as grateful as ever.

Money is always a concern for small, community efforts like ours. And I’m incredibly thankful we have such wonderful, giving people in our neighborhoods. I’m humbled and honored that the creators of this new Endowment chose to name it after me.

A century ago, our founder Francis Cope was so intent on ensuring every member of the county could benefit from access to a library, that he bought World War I ammunition boxes, filled them with books, and shipped them to any community in our 832 square mile county that wanted one.

That spirit of giving and sharing still lives in the heart of every staff member of the SCHS&FLA. And by maximizing this Endowment, we can help ensure that they’re able to continue serving the community they—and we—love.

Thank you,

Susan Stone