15 Nov Library Foundation Office Opens in Co-Lab
The Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation has a temporary home at CoLab, a coworking space designed for nonprofits. The new office is in the La Cumbre Plaza in the space formerly occupied by Tiffany & Co.
CoLab is launching with four nonprofit tenants in place—the Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation, the Common Table Foundation, the Children’s Creative Project and the Arts Fund. CoLab is currently seeking two to three more nonprofits to share the space for the next year.
CoLab is managed by CLAY, a nonprofit consultancy founded by Santa Barbara resident Jamie Dufek. Dufek also is the Chair of the board for the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara and is the acting director and Board President of the Arts Fund.
“There are more than 2,000 nonprofits operating in Santa Barbara County,” Dufek noted. “It would be easy to see each other as competition—for both resources and for funding. But what we saw that day was how much potential there was to create cross-pollination and collaboration if we had a place to come together and share ideas, expertise, and resources to lift all area nonprofit organizations—and benefit the people of Santa Barbara County.”
The Library Foundation is proud to be a part of this collaborative space and have an active presence in the community during Library renovations.
