We are thrilled to announce that the Friends of the Burlington County Library, Inc. has generously donated $50,000 to help fund an ambitious building renovation project now in the planning stages.
BCL Friends President Larry Jenkins shared his sentiments about the donation, "With this support we are thrilled to help launch an exciting new project for the library and ultimately for the vibrant community we serve together."
The proposed Learning Commons at Burlington County Library will redesign existing, under-utilized library space into a mix of areas for quiet and focused work, along with active and vibrant areas for learning, creating, making, meeting and collaborating. Longtime champions of BCLS, the nonprofit, all-volunteer Friends group works tirelessly year-round to raise money, primarily through book sales, to help support programs, services and outreach efforts that benefit our entire library system. The group’s generous $50,000 contribution will be used to help fund technology upgrades in the proposed renovation plan.
BCLS Director Ranjna Das thanked the Friends group for its sizable donation, and their acknowledgement of the value of what the Learning Commons will provide to the community.
“We are delighted and grateful to accept this $50,000 donation from our hardworking Friends,” she said. “The volunteer group has always been generous with its support of our library programming and services over the years, and this latest – and significant – contribution will go a long way in bringing our exciting Learning Commons project to fruition.”
To meet the evolving needs and expectations of the communities they serve, libraries throughout the country are redesigning spaces to offer more experiential learning opportunities. The goal of the Learning Commons at Burlington County Library is to connect people of all ages and backgrounds to one another in a social but purposeful setting to embark on personal learning journeys.
While this generous donation will go a long way, funding is still needed for the broader project which will add public meeting spaces, a maker lab, collaborative rooms, a local history lab and other upgrades available to the community at large. Please consider supporting this worthy project by making additional donations to the BCLS Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization, which in addition to the Friends, works to raise funds, seek grants and support the library through advocacy. Please contact the foundation via email (foundation@bclsf.org) if you would like to discuss donation prospects.
