The cash-strapped Wareham Free Library is now more than $1,200 richer.

The library received the donation thanks to the determination of a young Onset resident Wendy Young and the generosity of the community.

When the library was on the verge of closing in June of 2013, the 24-year-old Young felt it was her duty to do something about it, so she started an online fundraiser.

"Nobody else seemed to be doing it," said Young, describing her reason for starting a fundraiser on the crowd-funding website Gofundme. "I didn't want to live in a town without a library."

Young's fundraiser existed in relative obscurity until this past February when looming budget cuts renewed talks of a library shutdown. This caused Young to begin a concerted effort to share her webpage with everyone possible. Over the 15 months of the fundraiser, she received 31 donations, with 30 of those coming since February.

After the future of the library became certain for at least another year this past July, Young made arrangements to donate the $1,247 she raised to the Friends of the Wareham Library non-profit group.

But Young stressed that the library's need to raise money is far from over.

"People aren't looking ahead," she said. "Next year, we're going to hit the same wall."

Since the failure of the Proposition 2 1/2 override this past June, the Wareham library has seen its budget slashed, and the Spinney branch in Onset was closed down. The Wareham library is now only open three days a week at reduced hours and a shortened staff. In December, the library will likely be decertified by the state, meaning Wareham library patrons will be unable to borrow books and materials from other libraries.

That's why Young plans to keep the fundraiser active, and she hopes to raise thousands more for the library.

"With decertification coming soon, the library needs books to make up for not having the greater system to draw on," said Priscilla Porter, head of the Friends of the Wareham Free Library group. She said the Friends are committed to helping the library purchase new books and materials.

Donations to Young's fundraiser have come from nearby residents to as far as Portland novelist Alexis Smith, who donated to the cause and commented on Young's webpage, "A member of your community handed out copies of my book, free to patrons, on World Book Night last year. It's my turn to support your community."

The average donation to Young's fundraiser has been $44, but she said hopes can garner smaller donations of a dollar or two from a far greater amount of people.

"Every little bit counts," she said.

To learn more about the fundraiser or to make a donation, go to http://www.gofundme.com/3ccvwg