When financial problems threatened to close public library branches across Berks County, Pennsylvania, a major donation from local native Taylor Swift helped keep them open for thousands of readers. In October 2011, the country music star donated 6,000 new books worth $68,000 (£52,000) to the Reading Public Library system. Fifteen years later, figures from the library network's official reports show that the system has grown into an important community resource. In 2025, it circulated 182,228 items and welcomed 27,452 people to its programs. Swift's donation came at a critical time, when cuts to local government budgets were putting heavy pressure on library services.
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