My name is Ann Andrusyszyn and I'm the Manager of Fundraising, Marketing & Communications at Barrie Public Library in Barrie, Ontario. It's a very exciting time right now at our Library as we get ready to build our first Branch Library in the City. Did you know that Barrie is the only city in Canada with more than 100,000 citizens and only one library? Yes indeed - and it's time to start evening up the odds!

Our first Branch Library will be in the southeast corner of the city and our Branching Out Campaign has the goal of raising $1 million to help build that branch. As the co-ordinator of the campaign I get to work with some fantastic volunteers in our community, as well as the great staff of our Library, and I hope to introduce you to some of them here on this blog. There are challenges of course, but a capital campaign is one of the most exciting things a fundraiser can do so it's also very fulfilling. Stay tuned for more info right here, because part of the "new skills to learn in campaign" is this one ... becoming a campaign blogger! Whoo-hoo!

Everyone here at the Library can't wait for the Branch to open. We're so excited to be ... Branching Out for our Community.