ACRL College & Research Libraries News

College & Research Libraries News

College, public libraries jointly seek funding

Mantor Library, of the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF) and the Farmington Public Library are in the last phase of a successful $1.5 million joint capital campaign. The campaign, begun in March 1995, has only $250,000 more to go before it ends in June 1997. Mantor Library is using its share of the money to replace the library’s HVAC system, renovate public and staff space, buy furniture, create an electronic classroom, and replace old technology with state-of-the-art equipment. Farmington Public Library is using its share of the funding to reallocate space throughout its 100-year-old building, renovate the first floor, buy technology, and build a first floor addition.

One of the goals of the campaign, besides fundraising, has been to look at areas of cooperation between the two libraries, which stand just a football field’s length apart. Some cooperative collection development, especially in the area of current literary fiction, will be possible. The public library allows UMF students to check out materials for free, while tow’n residents have access to all of the resources available through the college library’ for a small fee. The university will work closely with local educators to provide training in information literacy to teachers and older students in the new electronic classroom, scheduled to open this month.

“The capital campaign ensures the best possible library resources for our region,” said Theodora J. Kalikow, president of UMF.

Funding has come from a variety of sources. Locally, a pool of volunteers, called solicitors, has ventured into the communities served by both libraries and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in three-year pledges, as well as pulling in larger donations from local businesses and individuals. Student organizations have raised $10,000 while the college alumni association’s request that members give to the capital campaign and to the annual fund has been well received. Major grant support has been provided by the Kresge Foundation, Bingham Betterment Fund, Stephen and Tabitha King Foundation, and Davis Family Foundation.—Frank. Roberts, University of Maine at Farmington