Foundation Stories

By Melissa Stan

What does it take to build a stronger community?

At Johnson County Library, it begins with people having access to a place where they can learn, connect, and grow. Every day, individuals walk through the Library’s doors looking for something different. Some are searching for information or resources. Others are hoping to meet new people or find a sense of belonging. Many discover both.

The Library creates opportunities for connection in ways that are both simple and meaningful. Students find support and develop confidence in their learning. Adults explore new ideas, gain new skills, and engage more deeply with the world around them. These experiences help people grow not only as individuals, but also as active and engaged members of the community.

For volunteer Chris Sadun, these moments are easy to recognize.

“The wonderful thing about being a Library volunteer is that I get to witness and be part of special moments every week,” she says.

Chris has spent years volunteering at Johnson County Library, helping welcome families and support Storytime. From her perspective, what happens in those rooms goes far beyond what most people expect.

“We think of Storytime as children’s programming,” she explains, “but in reality it is community programming.”

She sees caregivers forming connections, children learning and gaining confidence, and families returning week after week because they feel welcomed and included. These moments may seem small, but together they create a stronger, more connected community.

That kind of impact is made possible by people who choose to give back.

Volunteers create the welcoming, human connections that make the Library feel accessible and personal. Donors help expand what the Library can offer by supporting programs, resources, and experiences that respond to the evolving needs of the community. Both forms of generosity are essential, and together they help the Library continue to grow alongside the people it serves.

“I love getting to be an active part of keeping our Library, and ultimately, our entire community, strong,” Chris says.

This spring, we are reminded that the Library’s impact is something we build together.

A little time. A little generosity. A lot of good.

You have the opportunity to be part of that impact.

Will you make a gift today to help expand access to learning and connection across our community?

Will you volunteer your time and help create welcoming experiences for others?

Or will you choose to do both?

Every act of generosity helps ensure the Library continues to be a place where people can connect, grow, and belong.

Written by Melissa Stan

“The wonderful thing about being a library volunteer is that I get to witness and be part of special moments every week.”

For Chris Sadun, those moments often begin at storytime.

As a longtime volunteer at Johnson County Library, Chris is often the first friendly face families see when they walk through the door. Some are regulars she’s come to know well. Others are visiting the Library for the very first time. Each week, she welcomes them in, invites them to join, and watches something meaningful begin to grow.

“We think of storytime as children’s programming,” Chris says, “but in reality it is community programming.”

From the storytime room, she sees friendships forming between parents and caregivers. She hands out 6 by 6 early literacy materials to families eager to support their children’s love of reading. She notices multi-generational families attending together. She even chats with passersby who pause to reminisce about bringing their own children to the Library years ago.

“I see firsthand how storytime is a program that truly serves the entire community.”

That sense of connection is what keeps Chris coming back. And it’s what makes the Library such a powerful place.

“The Library is one of the few free public spaces that serves all age groups, all abilities, and all backgrounds,” she says. “We think of it as a place where people mix with books, but more uniquely, it is a place where people mix with other people.”

Chris’s love of libraries stretches back decades. As a child in a small town in northern New York, she biked to the Library to explore the stacks and imagine a wider world. As a young professional, the Library provided endless access to books, music, and movies. As a mother, storytime offered something just as important as reading skills: connection.

“It was a sanity saver,” she says. “It helped me make friends and build community.”

Today, Chris gives back through her time. Others give through financial support. Both are essential.

Volunteers help create the welcoming, human moments that make the Library feel accessible and inviting. Donations add value to everything happening inside the Library, expanding opportunities, deepening learning experiences, and ensuring programs can continue to respond to community needs with care.

“I love getting to be an active part of keeping our Library, and ultimately, our entire community, strong,” Chris says.

This spring, the choice to give back can take many forms. You can give your time. You can give through a donation. You can do both. Each act of generosity helps grow the moments Chris witnesses every week and ensures the Library continues to be a place where everyone belongs.

When people choose to give, a little time and a little generosity can grow into a lot of good.

Every day at Johnson County Library, a quiet moment turns into something meaningful.

A toddler leans into their caregiver at Storytime and hears a book that becomes the first spark of a lifelong love of reading. A student lights up as a librarian hands them the book they didn’t know they needed. A teen sees their poem published in elementia Magazine and realizes their voice matters.

These may seem like small moments on the surface, yet together they create something extraordinary. They form the heartbeat of our Library, unfolding every day across all 14 branches. They happen because this community believes that curiosity, connection, and learning should always have room to grow.

This year, that belief matters more than ever.

A Challenge Worthy of a Hero

In 2026, the Library is facing a $165,000 shortfall in our book budget due to the loss of federal funds. That means fewer new titles on our shelves, fewer stories to discover, and fewer opportunities for joy, exploration and learning.

Here’s the good news:

Johnson County has a long history of stepping forward when it matters. This moment calls for that same spirit of generosity and shared purpose.

What Your Gift Makes Possible

A contribution to the Johnson County Library Foundation’s Annual Appeal ensures the Library’s story continues without missing a page. Your support helps us:

• Add new books and digital resources that spark curiosity and expand imaginations.
• Create the small touches that turn library visits into treasured memories.
• Ensure every child has access to stories that teach, comfort, and inspire.
• Step in when funding falls short so learning and discovery remain accessible to everyone.

You Are the Hero in Our Story

When you give, you help dreams take flight. You help learning flourish. You ensure that every person who walks through our doors finds a place where their story is welcomed, valued, and honored.

Thank you for being part of this chapter.
Thank you for helping us write the next one.
Thank you for being the hero who keeps the Library’s story alive.

Together, let’s keep turning the page.

It’s time for the Foundation’s annual appeal and your year-end gift will have a profound impact on our community. The Foundation funds Library books, and educational programs that encourage curiosity, spark imagination and bring dreams to life.

Your contribution will help secure resources to support the Library’s lifelong learning programs including:

• 6 by 6 Ready To Read
• Summer Reading
• Homework Help
• Genealogy
• elementia Teen Literary Program
• Black & Veatch MakerSpace
• Civic Engagement
• Joan Berkley Writers Fund

Your contribution to the Foundation will go toward resources for Library programs, services, and the growth of the collection of more than 1 million items. Did you know you can also support the JCL Foundation through your IRA?

Thank you for your continued support!