The Scarborough Public Library has only a few more days to raise the remaining money it needs to meet budget this year. Despite receiving more than 300 monetary gifts so far, the library is still about $12,000 short.

In order to assist the library in meeting its Annual Fund goals, the Piper Shores retirement community has agreed to provide a matching grant, as long as it can raise at least $1,500 by Sunday, June 5. Donations can be made online at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/?key=splc or by picking up an Annual Fund envelope at the library. All donations made are tax deductible.

Emily Read, president of the library’s Board of Trustees, said this week that while the Scarborough library does receive funding from the town, “we also have a responsibility to the taxpayers to raise private funding through, grants, corporate sponsorships and charitable gifts.”

Read said that annual appeals “are critical in the non-profit sector” and “if the appeal goals aren’t met, services are affected.” However, she also emphasized that “we are careful not to overwhelm our supporters with endless solicitations. We are very specific about when and how often we appeal for donations.”

The amount left to be raised through the annual appeal varies from year to year, Read said, and it’s not unusual to approach the end of the fiscal year, which is June 30, with a significant amount of money still left to raise.

“We see the year-end push as an opportunity to remind our community about the value of having a vibrant library that everyone can enjoy. We are the only common place in our community that offers enrichment and educational opportunities for the full cycle of life – from early literacy story times to outreach services that bring materials to older residents who are homebound,” she said.

“And books are just the beginning of what we offer. Cardholders can check out museum and state park passes or try out our new Orion Telescope for a week. We (also) offer resources like ancestry research databases, writers workshops, a French conversation group and online training for high-tech skills,” Read added. “Our programs cover a wide range of topics spanning fair trade practices, estate planning, art history, author talks and travelogues. There is always something interesting happening.”

Read also said, “We encourage residents to visit our website to learn more – or better yet, to stop in and get a library card. Our hope is that people will view the library as essential to their quality of life. And beyond that – that the library is a significant part of what makes our town such a great place to live, work and play.”