The Fort Worth Public Library Foundation

Summer 2007 Newsletter

Fall 2006 Newsletter

Fall 2005 Newsletter

Board of Directors

James Hambleton
Chairman

Stephen R. Alton
Laura Bird
Janet Bishop
Harry M. Brants
Johnny Campbell
Judith J. Carrier
Sean D. Colston
Will Courtney
John L. Crawford
Carlos M. de la Torre
Elizabeth Doane
Nancy Dozier
Christine Fredric
John W. Freese
Patty Garsek
Jill E. Goff
David Goodroe
Paul W. Greenwell
Petra Grimes
Michael D. Haney
Bonnie Henn-Pritchard
Julia Huseman
Joe Julien
Ellen Kelly
Nancy Knight
Mike Leeman
Walter Littlejohn
Morris Matson
Greg McCoy
David B. Parker
J. Roby Penn IV
Stacey Pierce
Janna Poland
Keith Reardon
Cynthia Reaves
Jane Schoomaker
Anne Simpson
Todd Spake
Dan Tatum
Nancy Thompson
Paula Tyler
Catherine Vargas-Severin
Kristin L. Vinson
June Wolff

Ex Officio Members
Bunny Gardner, President
Friends of the Fort Worth
Public Library
Mary Ann Epps, Chairman
Library Advisory Board
City of Fort Worth
Gleniece Robinson, Director
Fort Worth Public Library

Betsy R. Pepper
Executive Director

Advisory Committee

Betty Ambrose
Helen Atkins
Dionne P. Bagsby
Louis Baldwin
Scott Grant Barker
Anne T. Bass
Lou Ann Blaylock
Robert S. Capper
Tim Carter
David Chappell
Richard L. Connor
Lucy Darden
Kay Dickson Farman
John Esch
Flora Maria Garcia
Wendy Garrett
Cami Goff
John Goff
Dan Hagan
Cynthia Hammett
Gynna Harlin
Douglas Harman
Allan Howeth
Thomas P. Lang, Jr.
Bill Lawrence
Maria Lowdon
Melinda Mason
Ann Murphy
James N. Murphy, III
Mike Pavell
Hazel Harvey Peace
Lynn Platania
Paige Mayes Rice
Betty Sanders
David Stueckler
Anna Belle Thomas
Ernest L. Thomas
Sarah Walker
Nancy Wilson Webb

In the early 1990s Fort Worth community leaders grew concerned when structural flaws in the existing Central Library facility had resulted in more than 100 leaks into the main floor of the library endangering the collection and the computer center. At that time, the library system was not a priority of the City Council and severe economic times had necessitated years of budget cuts affecting hours, staffing and ultimately materials. In 1993 The Fort Worth Public Library Foundation was established to work with elected officials and city staff to reverse that trend and restore the public library to a place of prominence in the community.


	Foundation Accomplishments The First Project The Raise Your Voice for the Library campaign was successfully completed in 1998, bringing $5,000,000 in private funding to the Central Library Expansion and Enhancement Project. This was the beginning of the Library Foundation's partnership with the City of Fort Worth. The Central Library's distinctive neo-classical shell was built first using city funds. Later, Foundation funds were used to finish the interior of the building. New spaces at Central include the 33,000 square foot youth center, expanded media center, grand entrance hall, and 3rd Street circulation area.

	The funding also provided for a 6,600 square foot gallery suitable for exhibitions, receptions and small performances in the former plaza area, and a 900 square foot office for The Fort Worth Public Library Foundation within the Central Library. Long-Range Services Plan In 2001, the Library Foundation served as the catalyst in securing funding for a first-ever Long-Range Services Plan for the Library. The Library Foundation identified $200,000 in private funding, then worked with elected officials and city staff, who agreed to provide the remaining $175,000 needed to fund the project. The Plan was completed in 2003.

	Great Cities Have Great Libraries Campaign To commemorate the Foundation's 10th Anniversary, the Great Cities Have Great Libraries campaign was unveiled at the end of 2003. The replacement of the Fort Worth Public Library's Integrated Library System was selected as the first funding priority. Working again in partnership with the City of Fort Worth, the Foundation provided one-half of the cost, $500,000 in private funds, for the new system which went live in July 2005. In March 2006 the Foundation completed the Campaign for the Library Collection which provided a $250,000 match for budget funds provided by the City of Fort Worth to begin to address the needs of the Library Collection. Capital improvements, programming needs and further technology upgrades will also receive funding priority over the course of the ongoing campaign.

Engaging the Community
The Library Foundation works diligently to increase awareness and appreciation of the resources of the public library through numerous community outreach activities. These include the Owsley Children's Author Series, the Owsley Literacy Initiative, the Libraryfest family book festival and a community wide reading program. A Lecture Series and College Information Series will debut in 2007.

The Foundation presents special events in collaboration with other organizations. Foundation partners have included The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, Fort Worth Opera, Historic Fort Worth, Steinway Hall-Fort Worth, KERA and Dallas Museum of Art.

Over the past 12 years, the Library Foundation has raised more than $6 million in private funding to benefit the Fort Worth Public Library System. Click here to download a summary of the Foundation's contributions to the Library.