Hello ,

We are here for you.

It’s been an emotional, difficult, and important few weeks since our last e-newsletter. Personally and as a public library, I believe we have a responsibility to make this community a more equitable, accessible, inclusive place to live, work and learn, where everyone can thrive.

Our Library’s mission is to improve lives and build a stronger community, and this purpose has never felt more urgent.

People from every background have reached out to the Library over the last few weeks, looking for resources on social justice and race relations for children, teens and adults. We’re proud to be your trusted source of information, and we are committed to providing relevant resources and learning opportunities for all ages.

Your Library is embedded in neighborhoods throughout the County, and we are uniquely suited to build partnerships with others to amplify and facilitate dialogue around important issues. Just a week ago, Mecklenburg County approved a plan for the renovation of Spirit Square’s historic theaters, confirming their physical connection to the new Main Library. This decision brings timely momentum to the CommonSpark campaign, as the new Library will be the central hub of programming that informs and empowers our community to participate in civic discourse.

Especially in these very stressful times, your Library is here for you. We’re listening, we’re responding, and we need you more than ever. As priorities shift, your support allows us to allocate funds to the programs and services needed most. What else can we do? What resources do you need? Email me and we will do our best to make them available to our community.

It’s critical that the conversations that have begun here in Charlotte and around the country continue, that we keep listening and stay engaged, and that we remain guided by our mission.

Thank you for your ongoing support,

Jenni Gaisbauer, CFRE
Executive Director

P.S. A statement on equity from Charlotte Mecklenburg Library can be found here.