Library turns a new page with a $6,000 grant

The Watauga County Library will be able to increase the life of part of its book collection, purchase additional titles, and help staff with their educational goals as the result of a recent $6,000 donation from the Watauga Library Endowment.

The endowment invests private gifts and presents an annual check to the library based on the income from these investments.

A recent fundraising effort to build the endowment resulted in an increase of more than $14,000 to the fund’s assets.

Library director John Blake said that the library will use the endowment’s gift to purchase a book covering system that will speed up processing and protect the soft-cover books and to purchase new adult nonfiction titles.

The money will also be used to help retain staff and increase expertise by offering assistance in pursuing professional library degrees.

“Everyone here at the library is grateful to the endowment for the generous gift,” Blake said.

“The funds that we receive every year represent donations from numerous community residents, and we appreciate their support very much.”

The endowment is designed to support important library needs that are not fully met by government funding.

In the past few years, endowment funds have enabled the library to update the Western Watauga Branch reference and DVD collection, add wireless computing and checkout receipt printers, add a print management system, and strengthen the collection.

Anyone interested in contributing to the endowment may call John Blake at (828) 264-8784.