6-19-2026

The East Troy Lions Public Library is pleased to announce receipt of a $1,000,000 endowment from the Mike & Beth Klumb Family Foundation to support long-term programs and services for the community.

The library board has been working with the Klumb family since December to craft the ETLPL Endowment Fund Policy in order to ensure the original donation is protected. At this time, the policy states that both the principle and any earnings will remain in the fund while the ETLPL Board explores a new/expanded library building. Once that goal is achieved, the policy will be revised and the board will assess the budgetary and programming needs of the library and use it to off-set the increased cost of a new building.

The library board began the process toward a building project last spring with architect interviews followed by meetings with HGA, community surveys, and a community leaders meeting. The conceptual drawings were delivered in November. Since then, we have remained rather quiet while working on the financial end. Before the board made a decision on how to proceed with fundraising, Mike Klumb reached out with the pledge that has become our Endowment Fund.

“Beth and I, along with our children, have always felt a connection to East Troy because it’s where our story began. Even though life has taken us to different places, nowhere will ever feel quite like the town we grew up in. Supporting the library through our family foundation is simply our way of giving back to the place that helped shape who we are.”

This spring the library hired JT Library Planning to conduct an Operational Cost Study for a new building. The study included three staffing scenarios as well as building costs and recommendation for both. Those include installing solar panels and creating an Endowment Fund.

Now both the endowment and fundraising decisions have been made. Library Trustee Santa Consiglio and Director Tami Bartoli are co-chairs of the official fundraising committee. The group is currently developing literation to share with potential donors for the building fund. That campaign will begin soon.

Donations for the building fund will be managed by the East Troy Area Community Foundation. Treasurer Lea Sperle worked with the library board to create an official agreement. All donations are tax deductible and, unlike other foundations the board researched, the ETACF is not charging the library any management fees. The agreement became official at the June library board meeting when ETACF President Mike Felske added his signature to ETLPL President Kristina Murphy’s.

Fundraising will begin in earnest later this summer. Meanwhile a donation form is available on the websites of both the ETACF and ETLPL. Printed copies are also available at the library.

Listening to Now: The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan (One of the Great American Reads)