Ronald Read, a janitor whose simple lifestyle and string of successful investments earned him almost $8 million, left $1.2 million to his local library when he died.
The donation is the largest sum of money that the Brooks Memorial Library in Brattleboro, VT has ever received since the library was founded in 1886. The Brattleboro Reformer has more:
“This bequest is incredible. It’s transformative,” Brooks Memorial Library Executive Director Jerry Carbone said. “It’s going to really provide for our future and relevance in the community and allow us to keep up with the times, and keep up with what this community needs to access quality library services.”
Read left the rest of his money to Brattleboro Memorial Hospital.