To date, the Foundation has raised more than $3 million and has established a $2 million+ endowment fund to ensure the future of our Library and provide an ongoing stream of funding for new and emerging needs. In addition, stepping in as a matching funder, the Foundation has been able to leverage its support to bring in an additional $960,000 dollars in New York State grants over the past 7 years.
Since its founding in 1993, the NRPL Foundation has funded all or part of these critical upgrades and ongoing modernization projects.
Major Capital Projects
- Children’s Room renovation and upgrade
- Enclosed Children’s Study and Tutoring Room
- The Handelman Business Opportunity Center
- The Bliss Music Center
- Remodeling of the Teen Room
- New Digital Media Lab
- Remodeling of the Ossie Davis Theater and purchase of new audio-visual equipment and sound system
- New 2nd Floor Conference Room
- Renovated Lobby and Gallery Area
- New Service Desks for Second and Third Floors
- The E. L. Doctorow Local History Room
- Renovation of Reference and Information Service Area, including new Information Desk
- REACH FOR TOMORROW Donor Recognition Wall designed by clay artist Judith Weber
- Renovated first floor Adult Reading Room
- Provided the $92,122 match required for the Library to receive a NY State Construction desk for the new circulation desk.
Smaller Capital Projects
- Purchase SMARTboards for the Computer Training and ESL classrooms
- Purchase computers for public access to the Internet
- Purchase new meeting room tables and chairs
- Purchase new newspaper shelves, book display cases, CD and DVD security cases
- Commission Indoor hanging murals and an outdoor mural by local artist Dale Zheutlin
- Preservation of the Norman Rockwell “Land of Enchantment” mural*
- New electronic interior signage
Programming
- One City, One Book Community Reading Initiative*
- Spanish Storytime
- Children’s foreign language learning program
- Teen summer programming, including classes in African dance and drums, journaling, video production, acting, Mexican dance and more
- Family Museum Pass Program, including free access to the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, Guggenheim Museum, children’s museums and many more
Information & Resources
- Redesign of the Library’s new website
- Professional fees for strategic long-range planning for Library Board of Trustees
- Electronic newsletter funding
- Pilot funding for e-book collection of adult fiction and nonfiction titles
- Additions to the E.L. Doctorow Local History Room collection
- Replacement of worn popular fiction books
- Establishment of the foreign language book collection
*In collaboration with Friends of the New Rochelle Public Library.