How the Funds are Used

• funding of summer reading programs for children and young adults, including rewards and small “achievement” prizes
• funding throughout the year of special projects and programs
• funding for each library’s individual needs and support of local book review programs
• funding for library promotional materials (bookmarks, book bags, etc.)
• funding of “free” parking for patrons of the Central Library who use City parking spaces
• providing the “free” monthly book review/newsletter: “Book Page”
• funding of a videotape history of the local regional library
• provides major grants when new branches are planned (Nelson, Louisa and Greene County branches in the recent past, a new Crozet branch in the future)..
• annual financial support for the Virginia Festival of the Book
• annual contribution to the Friends of the Library Endowment Fund, to provide for the library’s future needs

Endowment Fund

In July of 1992, the Friends of the Jefferson Madison Regional Library created the Library Endowment Fund with the Charlottesville Albemarle Community Foundation. Starting with an initial gift of $ 20,000 from the Friends in honor of Jane and Art Hess, long term volunteers with the Friends and the “heart and soul” of the annual Book Sale, the Endowment Fund has grown from that initial $ 20,000 to well over $950,000. The growth represents three sizable bequests, annual gifts from the Friends and countless donations from individuals and groups over the intervening 15 years.

The purpose of the Fund is to support the charitable and educational purposes of the Friends and its affiliated agencies, including the library. The Fund is not used to replace existing and future public funding for JMRL or its State Aid book budget.

Examples of the grants which have been made are:

• Hiring of summer Librarian interns
• Expansion of JMRL collection of books on tape
• Upgrade of Mont Ave web site
• Foreign language materials for Hispanic and other immigrant communities
• Purchase of archival reproduction equipment
• Joint funding with community groups in Nelson County of architectural study to support grant request to double the size of the County’s branch library

If you are interested in giving a bequest, contact:
John Halliday, Director
Jefferson-Madison Regional Library
201 East Market Street
Charlottesville, VA 22902
Phone: 434-979-7151 ext. 206