The Forks Branch Library received a generous donation from the estate of long-time patron Yasmin Arlin Lahr (1943-2025). Yasmin was a lifelong advocate for justice and equity, an avid reader and a library supporter. Library staff warmly remember keeping her supplied with enough books to match her impressive reading pace. When she was no longer able to leave her home, Yasmin received frequent book deliveries through the Library’s Outreach Delivery Service. Having access to books was a lifeline for Yasmin during some of her most isolated days.

Beyond her love of literature, Yasmin was committed to fairness and dignity for all. She spoke out against racial and gender-based violence and urged greater empathy toward society’s most vulnerable.

On August 21, Forks Library staff were presented with a letter and a check for $20,000 that represented Yasmin’s final act of social justice, instructing the Library to keep up the “good and essential work.” The donation will be used to maintain Forks Library programs and services, providing free and open access to all.

“Yasmin’s generosity also gave library staff a renewed sense of hope,” said West End Library Manager Troi Gale Velasquez. “This year’s cuts to funding at the federal and state levels, along with compressed levy rates, put the future of libraries at risk, especially in rural areas like the West End. We’ve been thankful to receive an outpouring of community support from people like Yasmin who see the value in libraries.”

The library is currently planning ways to honor Yasmin’s legacy through new educational workshops, cultural events and community-building initiatives to connect more people with services.