2026 Annual Report
Updated: 17 minutes ago
July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026
Mission
The Medford Public Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization which generates financial support and stewards private funds to enrich the mission and vision of the Charlotte & William Bloomberg Medford Public Library for the community.
The MPLF’s support is focused on Public Programming, Special Collections, Technological Innovation, Youth Services, and Adult Learning.
Impact
This year, we received $88,422 from over 142 individuals, families, and organizations. Thank you! From July 2025 through June 2026, donor support filled the library's calendar with music, stories, workshops, and classes for every age.
More than $55,000 invested directly in programs
More than 70 performers, teachers, artists, and local organizations
Programs for every stage of life, from babies and their caregivers to adults 55+
Special Collections
1,751 children and teens checked out books in Arabic, Haitian Creole, Chinese, and other languages from the Betsy Schreuer Fund collection! The Betsy Schreuer Fund invested $8,250 this year to help children and families hear, learn, and celebrate languages and cultures from around the world.
Monthly Arabic story times through the Fall, then monthly Haitian Creole story times from January through May
Portuguese and Chinese story times
a Chinese acrobat performance
A growing Spanish program: six weeks of Spanish lessons for kids in August grew into classes that ran from January through June, alongside celebrations for Día de los Muertos, the winter holidays, and Cinco de Mayo
Public Programming
Your support helped library staff and volunteers build communities of creativity and learning for ALL Medford residents. In 2026, we supported 167 programs together, including a Maker Fair that delighted 575 attendees with craft demonstrations and vendor participation!
Children and Young Families:
A monthly Baby Wearing Support Group, Baby Wiggle music classes, Music Together, baby and toddler yoga, and family yoga gave the youngest patrons and their caregivers a place to play, learn, and connect.
Kids and Teens:
Kids got acquainted with various animals at a petting zoo, caught bugs with Professor Bugman, watched a magic show, played family mini-golf, and learned to play card games like Pokémon and Magic: The Gathering.
Teens unwound with de-stress yoga, tried their luck at virtual reality gaming, and participated in dance programs. Author visits connected young readers with the people who write the books.
Adults:
Adults got the chance to learn hands-on about watercolor painting, making glass menorahs and perfumes, upholstery, wood carving, needle felting, mending clothing, calligraphy, kombucha, and even comedy! Nature and gardening programs included mushroom walks, seed saving, maple sugaring, urban farming, and talks from the Massachusetts Master Gardeners. The year also brought an antique appraisal day, a Legacy Letters writing series, and a Jane Austen Birthday Ball.
Adults 55+:
Programs for older adults included an AI-learning group, a nutrition lunch and learn, a sound bath meditation, and a Holiday Tea prepared by culinary arts students from the regional vocational high school.
Adult Learning:
Five-week online English classes ran throughout the year, and twice-weekly English classes ran from March through May, helping new neighbors build skills and confidence in the English language. Monthly technology classes, ASL lessons, and Spanish for adults rounded out the learning calendar.
This year also included an outdoor ragtime concert, patio concerts, an evening exploring the creative process of jazz, a handbell concert and workshop, a digital music workshop series, and multi-act music performance days in January and April.
Investing in the Local Community
Every program paid a local musician, artist, teacher, farm, or small business, from game shops and art schools to wildlife educators and student chefs.
Tufts University Grant
We received a $5,000 grant from Tufts University for the Children's Wonder Books Fund! This grant will help finance the purchase of new, read-along books for youth with visual impairments, learning disabilities, and English language learners.
Recognition
We added new pavers to the front entrance walkway!
You may have also noticed: the pavers by the front entrance were refreshed!
Support the Library
None of this happens without your support. Your generosity turns the library into a place where a baby hears their first song, a child hears a story in their grandmother's language, a new neighbor practices English, and a lifelong learner picks up a new craft. Thank you for making this possible!
If you love your library, a gift of any size is a great way to show your support!
Questions?
Contact us:
781-938-0115
