News
Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation Presents $36,000 to the Library
June 25, 2008 — The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation donated $36,000 to the Town of Chapel Hill at the June 25 meeting of the Town Council. Foundation President, Gene Pease, reported on the progress of the Foundation’s fundraising work. The Foundation hired Melissa Cain to serve as the Executive Director and has a new office located at the VilCom Campus. The office space is donated by Jim Heavner of Chapel Hill. ( more )
Foundation Donations Provide Wide Array of E-Resources to Library
June 3, 2008 — Thanks to funds raised by the Foundation, children, teens and adults now have access to a wide array of new electronic resources at the Chapel Hill Public Library!
Most new resources can be accessed from home and require only that you enter the barcode on the back of your library card + your PIN number. ( more )
North Carolina Author Promotes the Foundation's Ensuring Excellence Capital Campaign (photos)
November 7, 2007 — When North Carolina author Clyde Edgerton was a boy, he lived in the small rural town of Bethesda, North Carolina. He came from families of cotton and tobacco farmers and at an early age he gained an appreciation for small-town Southern dialogue and humor. Today, Edgerton is the author of several novels and the recipient of the North Carolina Award for Literature. He is also a fan of public libraries and lauds the important role they play in combating censorship and protecting the individual's right to read. "Libraries and librarians are essential in a democracy," said Edgerton. He added, "Librarians have been especially important to me and in my career as a writer." ( more )
Foundation's Ghost Ship Month Wins Outstanding Adult Program Award 2006
December 14, 2006 — Last February’s “Ghost Ship Month” was recently awarded the North Carolina Public Library Directors (NCPLDA) award for “Outstanding Adult Program” in 2006.
Based on themes from local author Bland Simpson’s book Ghost Ship of Diamond Shoals (University of North Carolina Press), this February 2006 series of award-winning programs was sponsored by the Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation, spearheaded by former Foundation President Michelle Lewis and made possible by the efforts of volunteers and staff.
“’Ghost Ship Month’ was special,” stated Ms. Lewis. “We all worked hard. Our community had a terrific time. We learned together. And now the Library is receiving this accolade from its peers. It’s wonderful.”
“Ghost Ship” programs included exhibits of museum artifacts and old photos, informative and intriguing documentary films and speakers like the Director of the Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station, who demonstrated a ship rescue for fourth-graders at Scroggs Elementary School, using turn-of-the-century lifesaving techniques and equipment.
Criteria for the annual NCPLDA Outstanding Adult Program award includes originality, a program’s ability to be replicated in other libraries, involvement with other community organizations, the quality of promotional materials, the relationship of the program to library’s mission, publicity, staff involvement, innovativeness and cost effectiveness. The award is awarded at the annual meeting of the Public Library Directors Association each December.
Foundation Presents Town Council with $50,000 for Library
December 5, 2006 — The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation donated $50,000 to the Town of Chapel Hill at the December 4 meeting of the Town Council. Foundation President, Gene Pease, reported on the progress of the Foundation's fundraising work in recent months. Then he presented Mayor Kevin Foy with the check which will be used to buy about 2,000 new books for the Library.
The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation is leading a five-year $2.5 million fundraising capital campaign, Ensuring Excellence. The campaign begins in 2006 and ends in 2011 when the newly expanded Chapel Hill Public Library opens to the public. At this time the Library will need an additional 68,000 books and other items to meet the heavy demand of its service population. ( more )
John Grisham Helps Launch Campaign
November 10, 2006 — Best-selling author John Grisham, a master writer of literary suspense, made one of his rare personal appearances to help launch the Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation's Ensuring Excellence Capital Campaign. The gala benefit event held at the home of UNC System President, Erskine Bowles, raised over $60,000 toward the Campaign's five-year fundraising goal of $2.5 million. Many of the area's finest restaurants donated food and beverage for the occasion.
( more )
Foundation Asks Town to Spend Apple Chill Funds to Buy Books for Library
Column in the Chapel Hill Herald, Sunday, April 30, 2006 ( Read the full story )
Foundation Announces $2.5 Million “Ensuring Excellence” Campaign
October 2005 — The Library Foundation announced that it will lead a community-wide
campaign to raise $2.5 million in private donations, over five years, to fully-fund the
collection improvements recommended in the Town’s 2003 Library Services Master Plan.
(October 18, 2005 Letter to the Mayor and Town Council.)
In that Plan, the library consultant hired by the Town made detailed recommendations concerning the appropriate number of books, periodicals, audio books (tapes/CDs), e-books, documentaries (DVDs), as well as other collection items, for our Library. Full funding of these recommendations, using 2010 population figures (when the Library building expansion hopefully will be complete), will cost approximately $2.5 million.
The goal of the campaign is to raise these funds in advance of the opening of the newly expanded Library in 2010.
“Community Greats” House Party a Success!
More than 220 people attended the Library Foundation’s festive kick-off party for its “Great Communities Support Great Libraries” campaign on October 30th at the home of UNC President Molly Broad and her husband, Bob Broad. Guests enjoyed mingling with special author guests Elizabeth Spencer, Lee Smith, and Daniel Wallace, while enjoying food and wine provided by some of our best local restaurants. The Library Foundation thanks the generous co-hosts and community members that made this event possible.
“Library Group Announces Campaign”
The Chapel Hills News, June 12, 2005
Local residents like to read. But the public library has only about 155,000 books -- well
short of its 372,000-item goal. To help narrow the gap, the Chapel Hill Public Library
Foundation will launch a capital campaign in the fall.
( more )
“Where Do the Books Come From?”
Southern Neighbor, June 2005
Thanks to the Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation, this summer the library will have many more copies of the books on your child's summer reading list.
Last summer, Michelle Lewis, President of the Library Foundation, heard complaints from
parents that the library did not have enough copies of the books on the school system's
recommended summer reading list. It was clear that the library needed to buy more copies
of the books on the list. But to do that, the library needed money.
( more )
