North Conway Public Library’s Final Chapter Capital Campaign Receives $50,000 Matching Grant
Picture Courtesy of North Conway Public Library: On the new bridge that joins the original building to the new expansion are from left: Dot Seybold, Executive Director, Ham Foundation, Linda Eldridge, Ham Foundation, Andrea Masters, Library Director, and Kathy Bergeron, Library Board.
The North Conway Public Library is the recipient of a matching grant from the Kendal C. and Anna Ham Charitable Foundation in the amount of $50,000 to be awarded upon successful completion of funds raised by October 2021.
The library is currently in the end phase of their fundraising campaign, The Final Chapter, with a focus on completing the interior with furnishings, technology, books, shelving, and more.
The addition has nearly doubled the size of the library and it is now a modern state-of-the-art building with new construction that complements the magnificent history of the original structure. It is a true community center and hub for learning, reading, entertainment, history, art, and continuing education for the whole valley.
The North Conway Library has been serving the community since 1887, throughout major wars, economic depressions, and even throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite construction and the lockdown, the library continued to provide materials via curbside service, online via the downloadable books program, and via email within 24 hours. Because of the pandemic, it started several streaming video programs for its patrons: Kanopy, KanopyKids, Acorn, and Qello. The library is free and open to the public and anyone living in the whole Mount Washington Valley is eligible for a free library card. Current library hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm and Friday from noon to 4 pm.
“As the pandemic has shown, libraries serve as beacons in times of crisis, are trusted sources of reliable and accessible information, and provide crucial services such as online access for our residents that need to file for unemployment, apply for jobs, seek routine medical care via tele-medicine, and much more”, said Sharon Wroblewski, Capital Campaign Chair. “We thought our project was the perfect fit for the Ham Foundation’s mission which strives to improve community life in the Mount Washington Valley and to foster the vitality of our community. We are grateful for their support.”
For more information or to make a donation please visit northconwaylibrary.com or mail to PO Box 409, North Conway, NH 03860.
For questions please email andrea@northconwaylibrary.com.
