Tickets are now on sale for the Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation's annual “For the Love of the Library” fundraiser, a cocktail-style gala returning to the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library on September 18 from 6 to 9 p.m. Last year's event sold out and raised more than $162,000, and organizers are hoping this year's gathering, featuring bestselling author Nikki Payne, catering from The Palate Pleasers, and a live auction, keeps that momentum going.
According to Eye On Annapolis, proceeds from the fundraiser support the library system's greatest needs, including educational programs and lifelong learning opportunities across Anne Arundel County. The event will include immersive library-themed experiences, celebrity bartenders, a paddle raise, and wine, whiskey, and mystery book pulls, alongside the live auction. Early bird tickets are priced at $100 through September 8, after which the cost rises to $125 beginning September 9.
Payne, this year's special guest, works professionally as a tech anthropologist developing accessible government services for vulnerable populations. Her national bestselling romance novel, *Princess and the PI*, was selected for the DC Reads program by the PEN/Faulkner Foundation, according to the event listing. She follows a precedent set last year, when New York Times bestselling author Brigid Kemmerer served as the 2025 event's headline guest, according to the same outlet's earlier report.
What's Up for Auction
The live auction will offer several high-profile packages this year, including a private tour of either the William Paca House or Bryce House followed by dinner at Summerhouse. Bidders can also compete for a Washington Capitals VIP experience featuring four premium seats and luxury transportation, along with a wellness package featuring FS8 and Toastique, per the fundraiser's announcement. Corporate sponsorship opportunities remain available at the Bestsellers, Page-Turners, and Story Makers levels, with sponsors receiving recognition in the library's quarterly publication, Library Happenings, plus visibility throughout the system's 16 branches.
Where the Money Goes
Last year's proceeds funded kindergarten readiness programs, teen activities, and lifelong learning opportunities for adults, illustrating the breadth of services the foundation underwrites beyond basic library operations. That gap exists because local tax dollars from Anne Arundel County government cover roughly 90% of AACPL's annual operating budget, with the State of Maryland contributing about 8%, according to a library recruitment filing reviewed by JobLeads. That leaves private philanthropy through the Library Foundation to fund the specialized programs, including early childhood literacy, teen centers, and community pantries, that fall outside tax-supported budgets.
The Anne Arundel County Public Library Foundation, established in 2006 as an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, provided more than $811,000 in total financial support to the library system in fiscal year 2025 alone, according to an AACPL Foundation newsletter. That included $578,000 in direct library grants and $125,000 toward expanding the mall library location. The “For the Love of the Library” gala itself has shown steady growth, raising $143,000 in 2023, more than $150,000 in 2024, and exceeding $162,000 in 2025, a trajectory that reflects strengthening donor backing for the county's library system.
A System in Transition
This year's fundraiser arrives as AACPL approaches a leadership change. Longtime Chief Executive Officer Charles “Skip” Auld, who has led the 16-branch system since 2010, announced in March 2026 that he will retire in February 2027. His tenure included opening the new Annapolis and Riviera Beach branches and establishing Maryland's first designated Book Sanctuary, expanding both digital resources and modern facilities across the county.
The event's host venue, the Michael E. Busch Annapolis Library, opened in July 2020 as a 32,500-square-foot, $24 million facility and was the first building in Anne Arundel County to earn LEED Gold environmental design certification. Named for a former Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, it replaced the aging Annapolis Regional Library. AACPL now serves more than 595,000 residents across its 16 branches, with an annual circulation exceeding 6.1 million books and digital media items, making it the fifth-largest public library system in Maryland.
Public library service in the county dates back to January 8, 1921, when it operated out of Annapolis City Hall and issued library cards for 10 cents, before formally incorporating as a unified county system in 1936. That century-long history underpins events like September's gala, which organizers hope will again sell out as it did last year, continuing to close the gap between tax-funded basics and the expanded programs county residents have come to expect.
