[RBS] Benjamin Library may have to close

[The Palmers]

One of the city's universally loved institutions may need to close its
doors this year.   The library’s funding runs dry in April, and
without help from the town of Bet Shemesh, its operations will have to
stop at that time.

Over the past two decades, The Benjamin Children's Library has
flourished, growing from four bookshelves of children's books to a
full service library, housing 43,000 books and reaching thousands of
children and adults.  All this has been done without monetary input
from the Beit Shemesh municipality but today its financial situation
has changed.  As Bibsi Zuckerbrot, the library's executive director
explained, "Since its inception, the Benjamin Children’s Library has
sustained itself, thanks to the dedication of our volunteers, the
resourcefulness of the board and professional staff, and the
generosity of donors who want to invest in literacy in Beit Shemesh.
But we have come to a point where we just cannot get by any longer
this way."  The large and multi-year grants from US foundations have
ended and further funding is dependent on the city’s assumption of
responsibility for at least some part of the library’s operating
budget.

If you want to know how you can help or for more information, please
contact Bibsi Zuckerbrot, the head of the library:
bdzuck at netvision.net.il