UC Santa Cruz has been awarded a $700,000 challenge grant from the Kresge Foundation toward the construction and modernization of McHenry Library.
The Library will have to raise $3.2 million over the next 18 months for the gift to come to the campus. The grant is designed on a challenge basis to support the McHenry Library Expansion and Renovation capital campaign. It is intended to assist UCSC in raising the balance required to complete its campaign goal and the funding of the project.
The Library has already raised $4.8 million-more than half of its total goal of $8 million in its fundraising campaign.
"This is an amazing opportunity to help us raise the funds we need to totally transform McHenry Library and make it a 21st century destination for a new generation of library users," said University Librarian Ginny Steel.
She added that in awarding the challenge grant, the Kresge Foundation lauded UCSC for providing "access to students of color and those from low-income and working class families," as well as "leadership in environmentally sustainable practices throughout your campus."
The Kresge Foundation is a private organization that supports communities by building the capacity of nonprofit organizations in the fields of health, the environment, arts and culture, education, human services and community development. Last year, the foundation awarded 442 grants throughout the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and South Africa, totaling $178 million.
Private support must be found for all aspects of UCSC's library project not covered by state funding. This includes such amenities as the planned Global Village Cyber Café see Currents story, the reading lawn and gardens, new furniture, information technology, media equipment, and public art for the building.
"The Kresge Foundation challenges us a community to come together in support of this project and put our combined resources behind the expansion and renovation of UCSC's landmark McHenry Library," said Steel.
For more information, contact the UCSC Library Development Office at (831) 459-5870.
Contact the author at srapp@ucsc.edu.
