Auburn Memorial Library Receives Gift from the Barbara Anna Thomas Trust

The Auburn Memorial Library Foundation has once again received a $5,000 gift from the Barbara Anna Thomas Trust in memory of Annie Thomas. This marks the second contribution of the same amount honoring Thomas, a devoted library patron, steadfast supporter, and dedicated community leader.
The initial $5,000 gift, made in 2023, supported the library’s expanding Summer Reading Program, which encourages local youth to stay engaged with reading through activities and special events.
The program has grown significantly over its more than 25-year history. “When I first started with the library, we saw about 40–50 kids, and last year we had 182 complete the program, reading a combined total of 9,094 books in about six weeks,” noted Library Director Heather Koeneke.
Koeneke added, “We are so grateful for gifts like this from the Thomas Trust. Without this support, we wouldn’t be able to offer enriching experiences for our community—like wildlife encounters, magicians or the String Beans musical acts.”