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CH Library Foundation Donates $150,000

Great books make great gifts and the new Chapel Hill Public Library is getting a major gift of new books…. even before it opens.

The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation is set to fund a $150,000 grant that will provide the Town with private funding to ensure the Chapel Hill Public Library can purchase a wide range of exciting new materials for an Opening Day Collection. Books and other items that will be on the shelves and ready for check-out when the renovated and expanded Library opens its doors in the spring of 2013.

Foundation President George Cianciolo will present the grant to the Town Council at the June 11th Council meeting. Providing the funds well in advance of the Library’s scheduled opening allows the librarians to select, order and process books and other materials so they are available for check-out by the large number of visitors expected on opening day.

The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation has been accumulating donations through its Ensuring Excellence Campaign to fund library acquisitions and programs not covered, or only minimally covered, by town budget and bond funds. The 2003 bond that funded the renovation and expansion of the library building does not cover funding for new library materials.

Melissa Cain, Executive Director of the Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation emphasizes that the Foundation’s Opening Day Collection grant will have a monumental impact. Cain says, “This grant allows our Library to begin new programs such as a children’s book kit service targeted to daycare centers, teachers, and home school groups; provide a start-up collection of children’s Playaway View devices; and add new audiobooks and DVD’s for all ages. “

Cain adds, “Most importantly, it will update and expand the adult and children’s book collections with a particular focus on non-fiction titles and added copies of current, popular titles to help meet demand. And it will supplement the foreign language book collection for children and adults in Korean, Chinese, Spanish and French. All of these materials will inspire generations to come.”

Even though the Foundation’s grant accomplishes much, it is only half of what is needed to fill the shelves. The other half – an additional $150,000 – must come from our library-loving community as the Foundation needs the public to match this grant dollar for dollar. Cain says, “A new Library with empty shelves is like a book with blank pages. Our community needs to band together and provide an Opening Day Collection that is the pride of Chapel Hill.”

This is a challenge to all Chapel Hill Public Library supporters, patrons and readers, and there are many of those: over one million items are borrowed from the library each year and with the newly enlarged library, staff expects an increase in use of up to 40%. If our community responds to the challenge of matching this initial $150,000 grant, the total will allow the library to purchase thousands of new books, non-print items and digital materials, catalogued and shelf-ready for check-out by the very first visitors.

To donate for the purchase of print, non-print, and electronic resources for our Library’s Opening Day Collection, please visit http://chplfoundation.org/help/donate. Send contributions to the Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation, PO Box 4771, Chapel Hill, NC, 27515-4771.

The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation was established in 1997 as a private, tax-exempt 501 ©(3) non-profit organization, governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The mission of the Foundation is to develop and encourage long term financial health and growth of the Library through annual gifts, endowment and capital contributions. The Foundation’s top priority is to enrich our community by helping our Library collections grow. It exists solely for the benefit of the Chapel Hill Public Library.

For more information, write to info@chplfoundation.org or call (919) 929-1666.

Last updated: 8 June 2012