Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation

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September 13, 2009 — Chapel Hill Public Library's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Long Story Short, a Once-in-a-Carolina Lifetime Lineup of Chapel Hill's Best Writers & Two Showstopping Bands!

As the sun sets on the 2009 North Carolina Literary Festival, held this year on the UNC-CH Campus, the community is invited to join the writers and musicians gathering in the barn at Fearrington Village on Sunday, September 13th, 6:00 p.m., to toast the 50th Anniversary of the Chapel Hill Public Library.

Long Story Short is a party and a fundraiser for the library. After drinks on the lawn, there will be a sit-down BBQ supper, during which a lineup of writers have volunteered to let loose their bestest, funniest, most entertaining attempts at short-short, stand-up fiction.

Single ticket and table reservations go on sale July 13. On July 13, an online reservation form will be available right here, or you can call (919) 929-1666. For more information, contact Melissa Cain, Executive Director, CHPL Foundation at: .  ( Read the full story )

Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation Receives $150,000 Donation

Donation Completes 9300 Books Now!  Campaign
Photo of presentation of $150,000 check
Left to right: Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward; Foundation Executive Director Melissa Cain; Library Director Kathleen Thompson; Foundation President Gene Pease; Mayor Kevin Foy

03/24/2009 — The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation has received a gift of $150,000 from the Anonymous Fund of the Triangle Community Foundation to purchase additional books and non-print materials for the library's collection.

The donation completes the 9300 Books Now!  Campaign started by the Foundation in 2006. The library foundation has met its goal of raising $250,000, the amount that officially fills the library to the brim. It is estimated that the library will be at capacity with 9300 books, hence the campaign goal for 9300 books. The new materials will be available to the public in the next several months and will be incorporated into the opening day collection in the expanded library.( Read the full story )

Books and All That Jazz

Poetry and Jazz Harmoniously Blend to Benefit the Library!
Books and All That Jazz

April 19, 2009 - The Chapel Hill Public Library's benefit, " Books and All That Jazz," was a sparkling event and will continue to shine in the hearts and minds of those who attended. April is National Poetry Month - inspiring the program which was a fusion of words, poems and music.

The program featured five noteworthy writers: novelist and fiction writer, Lee Smith; essayist and journalist, Hal Crowther; and poets Michael Chitwood; Jaki Shelton Green; and Alan Shapiro.

The benefit, raised funds for print and non-print collections at the Chapel Hill Public Library. Reservations were $50 per person and Event Hosts donated $250 per person. The " Books and All That Jazz" event committee, Keebe Fitch, Katharine Walton and Melissa Cain, thank The Siena Hotel for their generosity and excellence. ( Read the full story )

Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation Offers 'Coaches' Poster

A unique opportunity to order this poster online
Photo of Coaches Poster
Carolina's basketball coaches! (larger)

September 9, 2008 — The Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation is proud to offer posters of Carolina's three renowned coaches!

From left to right in the poster, these coaches are: Bill Guthridge, former head basketball coach from 1997-2000 at the University of North Carolina (UNC); Dean Smith, legendary head basketball coach at UNC from 1961-1997, and Roy Williams, current head basketball coach at UNC, since 2003.

For a 10% discount on framing and/or dry mounting of this poster, present your receipt and the poster to any of the following participating merchants:

  » Frame Makers – Timberlyne Shopping Center
  » The Framer’s Corner, Carrboro
  » The Print Shop, University Mall

Posters are available at the Chapel Hill Public Library, McIntyre’s Fine Books, Carolina Inn, and retailers Chapel Hill Sportswear and Carolina Pride. ( Read the full story )

The poster will be available for order online through PayPal for $15. ( Get the poster! )

Chapel Hill Public Library Foundation Presents $36,000 to the Library

Funds will be used to add to print and non-print collections
Photo of Foundation President Gene Pease, Library Director Kathy Thompson, and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward
Left to right: Foundation President Gene Pease, Library Director Kathy Thompson, and Mayor Pro Tem Jim Ward

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

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. ( Read the full story )

Clyde Edgerton Lends Voice to Library Campaign's Goal: Raise $2.5 Million for Collection

Photo of Clyde Edgerton reading from his new book The Bible Salesman
Clyde Edgerton reading from his new book The Bible Salesman ( photos )

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." Edgerton entertained a group of Chapel Hill Public Library supporters gathered at the Chapel Hill Museum on November 7th. He read from his forthcoming novel, The Bible Salesman, to be published in July, 2008. ( Read the full story )

John Grisham Supports “Ensuring Excellence” Campaign

Photo of Gene Pease, Bob Eaves, Jim Heavner, Leesie Guthridge, Beverly Perdue, and John Grisham
Left to right: Gene Pease, Bob Eaves, Jim Heavner, Beverly Perdue, Leesie Guthridge, and John Grisham ( photos )

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.
( Read the full story )

Thanks to our 2006 House Party hosts and co-sponsors!



Foundation Presents Town Council with $50,000 for Library

Photo of Gene Pease presenting check to Mayor Kevin Foy
Foundation President Gene Pease presenting $50,000 check to Mayor Kevin Foy ( larger )

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.
( Read the full story )

Learn more about the Ensuring Excellence Campaign

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