Summer Reading Kickoff
Friday, May 23rd I 4-7pm at Settlers Park

Come join the Foundation at the Meridian Library District’s Annual Summer Reading Kickoff!

Sign up for Summer Reading (kids get to pick a free book!), enjoy activities for all ages, bounce houses, crafts, and tasty food trucks. Stop by the Foundation’s table to meet our Board, enter our annual raffle, and let the kids challenge us to giant tic-tac-toe for a chance to win a fun, art-themed prize—like sidewalk chalk, watercolor sets, Play-Doh, or crochet kits!

🎟️Raffle tickets are available online through May 31, with winners notified on Monday, June 2. Learn more about our raffle at supportmld.org/raffle.

🧶Visit our Foundation booth at the Summer Reading Kickoff to win a prize!

📖 Find out more about the Summer Reading Program at supportmld.org/summer25.

figaro adoption kit

The Meridian Library District is commemorating its 100th year in the community! In revisiting the library's history, we've discovered an unconventional resident from the 1970s – Figaro, a black & white cat, who adopted the library in September 1976 and lived there for approximately four years. The Meridian History Center has diligently unraveled the mysteries surrounding Figaro, enabling us to reintroduce Figaro to the library, not just in memory. In honor of the centennial, the Foundation has created an exclusive Figaro Adoption Kit as a special centennial thank-you to our donors.

For more information visit supportmld.org/figaro.

Find out more about our viral bonfire campaign
The shirt that fully funded Orchard Park's Early Literacy & Sensory Installations!

Read our Bonfire Interview!
Statesman Article about our Viral Shirt Design
Purchase "Read Banned Books" shirts here
Purchase "Read Banned Children's Books" shirts here
Print a matching "Read Banned Books" bookmark here!

Please note: all orders are processed & shipped through Bonfire. Please reach out to Bonfire directly with questions regarding sizing, shipping, and any other order issues. They have excellent customer service!

Due to the unprecedented support of this campaign, our small nonprofit will not be able to send out an thank you letter to all campaign supporters. Please click on the link above to print your matching bookmark & view our thank you video & Orchard Park tour!

A local supporter shared a video on social media wearing our 2022 "Read Banned Books" shirt, and it ended up going viral creating an unprecedented wave of sales. We have received nearly $100,000 in donations from this campaign, and we're still receiving orders every day.

The Meridian Library Foundation is overwhelmed with gratitude from supporters locally, nationwide, and even in Canada, Australia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, and Norway! It has been a difficult year for libraries, including our own; we truly believe the support of this one little campaign in Meridian, Idaho is a reflection of excellent library staff and services across the country, and a statement of support for our freedom to read.

Because of your incredible generosity, the Foundation has been able to FULLY FUND all the Early Literacy & Sensory Installations at Meridian Library's new Orchard Park location. This new library is dedicated to early literacy, and designed with accessibility in mind. Through the thoughtful & intentional design of this public space, thousands of youth and other patrons will be able to access a public library (maybe even for the first time) and feel like it was made for them.

Header image courtesy of Michael McCullough Photography