June 7, 2019
Cameron Foundation awards $250,000 to Petersburg Library Foundation
Funding supports construction of new addition
The Cameron Foundation has approved $250,000 to the Petersburg Library Foundation for construction of a new addition to the library. The Petersburg Public Library Conference and Event Center is intended to answer an unmet need for mid-sized, flexible meeting space in the City. This pledge brings The Cameron Foundation’s total commitment to the library foundation to more than $3 million.
“The Petersburg Public Library System provides many valued services to Petersburg and beyond, and with this new improvement to its facilities, the organization will significantly expand its capacity to be a central resource for community groups and individuals alike,” said The Cameron Foundation’s Board Chair, Pam Martin Comstock.
Last year, the library welcomed 116,327 visitors. The existing 45,000 square-foot facility offers diverse programs, computer banks, community meeting spaces, dedicated areas for teens and children, a reading room, a café offering healthy foods, and a drive-thru window providing easy access for patrons to pick up material that they have checked out. The planned addition will increase the library’s footprint by 5,000 square feet and will provide event, meeting, conference rental and catering services.
J. Todd Graham, president of The Cameron Foundation, provided additional background about Cameron’s support for the library. He said, “The Cameron Foundation’s long and significant history of supporting the Petersburg Library Foundation traces back to the group’s initial $12.7 million capital campaign to construct the facility that now stands at the corner of Market and Washington streets in Downtown Petersburg. Cameron provided more than $2.7 million to the original campaign.”
In addition to this new capital commitment of $250,000, Cameron also has awarded more than $241,000 in program grants to support the library’s Healthy Living and Learning Center. Housed in a dedicated space on the second floor of the library, the center provides health literacy and health and wellness related programming to Petersburg residents with a goal of improving individual and community health outcomes.