St. Louis Public Library

Photo by www.slpl.org Title: St. Louis Public Library logo
Source: www.slpl.org

ANDREW CARNEGIE'S VISION CONTINUES: ST. LOUIS PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION ENDS CENTRAL TO YOUR WORLD CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

The St. Louis Public Library Foundation today announced it has exceeded the $20 million goal for its Central to Your World capital campaign. The campaign was part of an overall $70 million public-private partnership to restore and modernize Central Library downtown. It was the largest capital project ever undertaken by the St. Louis Public Library (SLPL).

"St. Louis has a world-class Library today because of the vision and generosity of Andrew Carnegie in the late 19th and early 20th centuries," said Tom Schlafly, SLPL Director, SLPL Foundation Trustee, and co-chair of the campaign. "The donors to the capital campaign have helped insure that Carnegie's vision will be realized throughout the 21st century in ways he, and we, could never have imagined."

Designed by the renowned architect Cass Gilbert, the building opened in downtown St. Louis in 1912. Restoration of the building was completed in December 2012. Since its opening, Central Library has welcomed more than 1.5 million visitors.

Alison Nichols Ferring, SLPL Director, SLPL Foundation Trustee, and co-chair of the campaign said the Library stood as "a proud beacon of hope and civic vision. It is a place of transformation for all who cross its threshold. We are deeply grateful to all our donors who championed this noble cause. Their generosity will influence countless future generations."

With state of the art technology and innovative programming, Central Library is a premier cultural destination where patrons attend lectures, concerts, and community discussions. It holds special collections that are accessed by researchers from around the region and around the world.

Waller McGuire, Executive Director of SLPL, thanked the businesses, foundations, individuals, and dedicated Library staff members who helped make the campaign such a success. "Completing the $20 million capital campaign has allowed us to preserve one of America's great buildings, while giving it another century of life as one of America's finest 21st century libraries," McGuire added.

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