The Library Foundation was set up in 1997 to steward  large legacy donations. It’s mission is to support the library with longer term needs such as capital improvements and longer term program initiatives. It’s mission is to grow the funds available for these purposes and as such, concentrates on legacy and planned giving from donors.

The Friends is a membership organization with a mission to create a community of support and engagement for the library and supports operational and shorter to medium term program initiatives. It raises funds from yearly membership dues, the sale of books and other library related items, annual donations from donors, and creates community through events and communicating the impact the library has on the community.

Both. If you are a lover of libraries, we encourage all community members to join the Friends and to consider putting aside a legacy gift for the Foundation. Generally, If you are interested in supporting the longer term needs of the library, we encourage donations to the Library Foundation through current gifts, estate gifts and gift planning. If you are thinking about your yearly giving to the collection of nonprofits you support, the Friends is the best place to make your donation for the library.

Legacy giving, sometimes referred to as planned giving is intended to create support for the Library in perpetuity through your estate, will, retirement assets, trust, Donor Advised Fund, or foundation .If you would like to learn more about how you can make a planned gift, please contact us and we will have someone get in touch with you to assist you or your financial advisors.

The Love Trust, was established in 1982 by Cornelia Spencer Love with an estate gift of $350,000. Since then, the Love Trust has contributed over $2.3 million to the Library. The Foundation has managed the Trust since 1999 and has funded many improvements for the Library including furnishings for the Teen Room and Main Reading Room, a Digital Media Lab, the outdoor Terrace addition, and the automated Materials Handler, affectionately known as “The Bookie Monster.” Since 1999, the Foundation has received other legacy gifts and annual gifts to support the library and the operations of the Foundation.

Contact us!  We can meet and discuss your desires and how you would want your gift to be used to improve the library. We can also work directly with your estate attorney to make sure your will contains the right language.

Contact us! We can talk about any specific desires you have for that donation and coordinate receiving the funds. 

The Bookie Monster, a partnership with the Town of Chapel Hill to invest in cutting edge technology to increase the Library’s capacity. The Bookie Monster checks-in and sorts books, so that Library staff can be freed up for direct customer service and community engagement.  

The new Ground Floor furniture is modern, comfortable, flexible, and functional. We worked with Library staff to understand user needs – from working all day on a laptop to hopping on a Zoom call. The new furniture increased the overall seating capacity while improving the overall experience on this level, resulting in record numbers of users in this space.

The outdoor Terrace was a concrete slab when the building re-opened in 2013. Thanks to Foundation funds, it is now a beautiful and useable outdoor space with abundant seating, good WiFi, and glorious views of Pritchard Park. Thanks to an awning, it’s available for use in all seasons and all weather.