Over $3.3 Million Raised for the Billie Jean King Main Library
On, September 21, 2020, the one-year anniversary of the Billie Jean King Main Library Grand Opening, the Long Beach Public Library Foundation is proud to announce the completion of its New Main Campaign and more than $3.3 million raised for technology, programs, and enhancements at the City’s newest library. Nearly 500 community members, book clubs, foundations, and local organizations contributed gifts of all sizes –from $25 and up– to surpass the Campaign goal. Thank you to everyone who made this possible!
Donors to the Campaign include the John Apostle and Helen Apostle Foundation, the Rudolph J. and Daphne A. Munzer Foundation, Rotary Club of Long Beach, the Newell family, Billie Jean King and Ilana Kloss, Vic and Patty McCarty, Margaret C. Kott, the W. M. Keck Foundation, the Ahmanson Foundation, the Evalyn M. Bauer Foundation, Peter and Eleanore Schmidt, Cordelia Howard and Doris Soriano, friends and family of former LBPL children’s librarian Dee Navari, several LBUSD teacher librarians, and many families across Long Beach.
A Message from Campaign Co-chair Billie Jean King
Enjoy a Virtual Tour of the Library Thanks to Clark Construction
Although the Main Library is currently closed to the public due to the pandemic, patrons may visit to pick up materials checked out online or by phone and to sign up for a library card, Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. An extensive offering of online resources is available to library cardholders including one-on-one homework help and job search support through Library Foundation funded Brainfuse programs. More information about the Library’s services can be found at longbeach.gov/library.
Library Journal: Branching Out
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LB Business Journal: Billie Jean King To Serve As Co-Chair For Library Campaign
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Billie Jean King Joins New Main Campaign Leadership Committee as Honorary Co-chair
Photo: Long Beach Public Library
The Long Beach Public Library Foundation today announced that tennis legend and activist Billie Jean King has joined Mayor Robert Garcia as honorary co-chair of the Library Foundation’s New Main Campaign. The New Main Campaign has raised $2.1 million so far for technology, programs, and enhancements at the new Billie Jean King Main Library, which held its grand opening celebration on September 21, 2019.
Photo: Long Beach Public Library
The Library Foundation is proud to count Billie Jean King and her longtime partner, tennis champion Ilana Kloss, among the hundreds of donors who have given in support of the Foundation’s fundraising campaign for the new Billie Jean King Main Library. “Ilana and I are proud to join the hundreds of Founding Donors who have given to the Long Beach Public Library Foundation’s New Main Campaign,” said Billie Jean King. “These champions of literacy and education are helping Long Beach residents transform their lives through equal access to educational programs and services offered for free though the Long Beach Public Library.”
Patrons will have access to many enhancements to the new 92,500 square foot library made possible by donations to the Library Foundation including:
- a Laptops Anytime automated checkout kiosk with 12 laptops available to library card holders;
- a Chromebook charging cart with 35 Dell Latitude chromebooks;
- educational oceanic décor throughout the KidSpace and Story Theater;
- selfCheck kiosks and Tech Logic automated materials handling system for efficient check out and drop off of library materials;
- tools for those with disabilities in the Center for Adaptive Technology;
- Epson LightScene accent lighting laser projectors, a laser cutter, 3D printers, and more innovative technology in the makerspace Studio;
- the restored murals entitled, “Scenes from English Literature,” painted for the Library in 1937 by Suzanne Miller as part of the Work Project Administration Federal Art Project;
- and more resources for families, students, job-seekers, older individuals, veterans, and those with disabilities.
“We are grateful to the hundreds of Founding Donors from across the city who have made donations of all sizes, from $25 to $575,000, to support technology, programs, and enhancements in the new Billie Jean King Main Library,” said Barbara Schwerin, president of the Long Beach Public Library Foundation Board of Directors.
The Long Beach Public Library Foundation’s New Main Campaign will continue through the end of the new Library’s first full year of service giving more people a chance to become Founding Donors and support programs and resources that will benefit those who depend on the Library for many years to come. Those who give $25 or more will be recognized as Founding Donors.
LBTV: Billie Jean King Main Library Opening
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PADNET: Billie Jean King Main Library Opening
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Celebrating with Billie Jean King
Photo: Long Beach Public Library
On September 21, 2019 the City of Long Beach celebrated the Grand Opening of the Billie Jean King Main Library with thousands in attendance. The Library’s namesake was one of the first to enter the newly opened library after a rallying speech to the crowd.
“My dream is that the new Main Library will be a place where the people of Long Beach will keep learning and will be a place where people can connect and prosper,” she said.
Thank you to the hundreds of Founding Donors who donated between $25 and $575,000 to help make Billie Jean King’s dream for the City of Long Beach come true. The Long Beach Public Library Foundation was proud to present a check of $2.09 million during the celebration to fund technology, programs, and resources at the new Library.
Photo: Long Beach Public Library
Photo: Long Beach Public Library
