Imagine that You can Help Make this Happen
Together we can make the dream of a new Kennett Library & Resource Center become a reality. Your gift is an investment in the future of the Kennett region and those who call it home. There are many ways you can give…and all gifts are greatly needed and deeply appreciated!
The total cost for construction is $22 million. We still need $1.5 million to close the gap to reach our capital campaign fundraising goal. We have generous donors who have offered to match any gift we raise up to $250,000 – bringing in $500,000 towards our goal. The challenge will end on Dec. 31, 2023, and anyone donating to this challenge will be invited to a celebration party at the library in January.
Campaign Overview
$18,000,000 Community Campaign
will reach out to the community, asking individuals, foundations, corporations, businesses, organizations, and groups to support and partner with us to construct this facility that will be a vital community resource for generations to come. We are grateful to all who have supported this dream through the years, and invite our friends in the community to join them to help bring this dream to reality.
$15,100,000 Community Campaign
Includes donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, businesses, organizations, and groups to support and partner with us to build this vital community resource for generations to come. We are grateful to all who have supported this dream through the years, and invite our friends in the community to join them to help bring this dream to reality.
$4,900,000 Public Sector Support
including funding from Local Municipalities and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania which has supported our programs and operations through the years. We are grateful for this partnership and their support of this project which assures that our communities will have access to these valuable resources long into the future.
$2,000,000 Library Contribution
The Library will dedicate the proceeds generated from the sale of the Ways Lane site and current Library property to the new building.
For more information, please reach out to Mary Hutchins by calling (302) 547-2089 or email mary@kennettlibrary.org
How You can Help
Outright Gifts
Outright gifts paid through cash, check, securities, or other charitable methods that best meet your philanthropic and financial needs.
Outright Gifts
Outright gifts paid through cash, check, securities, or other charitable methods that best meet your philanthropic and financial needs.
Pledges
Pledges can be paid over 3-5 years.
Matching Gifts
Matching Gifts which can double the impact of your gift through a corporate matching gift program.
Please check with your employer.
Tribute Gifts
Tribute Gifts made in memory of a loved one or friend, or given to celebrate holidays, birthdays or milestones, with acknowledgement sent to the person or organization that is being honored.
Planned Gifts
Planned Gifts through your will or estate, or various planned gifts can provide significant tax benefits for the donor while helping the Kennett Library & Resource Center to have greater impact on the community, now and into the future.
Recognition Opportunities
Additionally, various naming opportunities, room plaques, and other forms of recognition are available at various giving levels and areas of interest. More information is available below. We are happy to work with you to find ways to give that best meets your philanthropic needs and interests.
Recognition Opportunities
Donors whose cumulative
giving reaches $50,000
& above are inducted into
the Legacy Society and
are recognized at a special
donor reception and on
the Legacy Society Donor
Plaque.
All donors who give $5,000
& above are recognized on
the main donor plaque.
Donor plaques will be
placed on various rooms
and areas of the facility in
keeping with the
levels below.
All donors are recognized by
level of giving in the Annual
Report and on the Website.
Donors can choose to
remain anonymous.
Proper Naming Opportunities
The Kennett Library & (Name) Resource Center
$5,000,000
The Auditorium
$2,500,000
The Adult Library
$1,000,000 (Committed)
The Children’s Library & Stacks
$1,000,000 (Committed)
The Terrace
$1,500,000 (Committed)
Melton Terrace
Join us in honoring Dennis and all that he contributed to the Kennett Community by contributing to the Melton Terrace.
Learn more
Plaque Opportunities
Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
$1,000,000
First Floor Art & Exhibition Gallery (Committed)
$750,000
Bayard Taylor Room
$500,000
First Floor Lobby
Quiet Reading & Reflection Room (Committed)
PECO Pole Removal
$250,000
Adult Maker Space (Committed)
Audio-Visual Technology
Audio-Visual Recording Room
Adult Literacy Classroom (Committed)
Children’s Maker Space (Committed)
Circulation Desk
Multi-Purpose Room (Committed)
Second Floor Lobby
Solar Panels for Renewable Energy
Young Adult Library & Stacks
$150,000
Feature Stairway
Back Parking Lot (19 spaces)
$100,000
Atrium (Committed)
Adult Stacks (Committed)
Auditorum and Terrace AV Equipment
Adult Library Furnishings
Adult Literacy Offices
(Committed)
Artist Inspired Donor Wall (Committed)
Community Classroom (Committed)
Elevator
Office of the Director (Committed)
Young Adult Group Study Room (Committed)
Children’s Library Furnishing (Committed)
$50,000
Historic Mural (Committed)
The Cellist Bronze Sculpture
Catering Prep Room
Classrooms Chairs and Desks in all Four Classrooms
Group Study Room (Committed)
Lactation Room
Tree of Knowledge that Connects First and Second Floors
(Committed)
Tutor Rooms (4) (Committed)
Laptop Vending Machines with Laptops (2)
$25,000
Adult Maker Space Technology (Committed)
Bookdrops (2)
(1 Committed)
Ceiling Cloud in the Children’s Library
Children’s Library Circulation Desk (Committed)
Children’s Maker Space Technology (Committed)
Campus Landscaping (Committed)
Four ALP Classroom Clearview Screens
Restroom Areas (2)
$10,000
Clayton Bright’s Scholar Hare Sculpture (Committed)
State Street Planters and Benches
Kennett Library Family Tree Trunk and Branches (Committed)
Decorative Tree in the Children’s Library (6) (Committed)
Story Time Area in the Children’s Library (Committed)
Adult Fiction and Non-fiction Book Collection (Committed)
Quiet Reading Cubby in the Children’s Library (2)
(Committed)
Eight Meeting Room Video Displays
Small Family Restrooms (2)
$5,000
Melton Terrace Planters
Children’s Fiction and Non-fiction Book Collection (Committed)
Biography Book Collection
Graphic Novel Collection
History Book Collection
Mystery Book Collection
Periodical Collection
Spanish Collection (Committed)
Infant and Toddler Picture Book Collection
Children’s Maker Space Clearview Screen
$2,500
Name a Seat in the Auditorium
$1,000
Book Carts (10)
$250 – $1,000
Inscribe a Gold, Silver or Bronze leaf on the Kennett Library Family Tree
Learning Tree leaves are available in three colors:
Gold $1,000
Silver $500
Bronze $250
(132 Committed)
New Library Recognition Opportunities
Click on a room for more information.
First Floor - Adult Literacy Classroom
*COMMITTED*
Adult Literacy Classroom
$250,000
Since it began in 1979, Kennett Library’s Adult Literacy Program has had more than 8,500 students take advantage of its classes. Within the past five years, there has been a steady increase in people taking advantage of the many aspects of the program — from students learning English, to those studying for the General Equivalency Diploma (GED) or preparing for American citizenship. The ALP Director Filomena Elliott is excited about the possibilities that will become available to ALP with the new Kennett Library and Resource Center. They plan to offer digital literacy, numerical and financial literacy, and health literacy, along with the traditional literacy and ESL classes. All of the meeting spaces in the new Kennett Library & Resource Center will be available to ALP and all of the different classes and programs it offers.
First Floor - Adult Literacy Offices
*COMMITTED*
Adult Literacy Offices
$100,000
The new offices for ALP Director Filomena Elliott and her assistant, Lupe Ruiz will allow them to meet with clients to discuss all the classes available through the program and also to help them find resources in the community to help our immigrant neighbors acclimate to life in southern Chester County.
First Floor - Staff Suite & Meeting Room
AVAILABLE
Staff Suite & Meeting Room
$100,000
The new Kennett Library & Resource Center will have ample space for staff offices and meeting rooms. Currently the staff has 9 full time staff and 12 part time, including ALP teachers. Staff number is set to increase by 5 when the new building opens. Currently the staff shares offices behind the circulation desk and in the basement.
First Floor - Library Director
*COMMITTED*
Office of the Director
$100,000
First Floor - Group Study
*COMMITTED*
Group Study
$50,000
This smaller classroom will be perfect for a small group study. Students can gather here to prepare for a test, or a tutor can meet with several students in this room that will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
First Floor - Circulation Desk
AVAILABLE
Circulation Desk
$500,000
The circulation desk will be handcrafted by a local woodworker highlighting Chester County artisan history and talent.
First Floor - Gallery
*COMMITTED*
Art and Exhibition Gallery
$1,000,000
First Floor - Lobby
AVAILABLE
First Floor Lobby
$1,000,000
Tree of Knowledge
*COMMITTED*
Tree of Knowledge
$50,000
The Tree of Knowledge connects the first and second floors
First Floor - Auditorium
AVAILABLE
Auditorium
$3,000,000
First Floor - Individual Auditorium Seat
AVAILABLE
— Save Your Seat —
Personalized auditorium seats are available for $2,500. Your name will be on a brass plaque on the back of the seat.
(limit 1 per family)
Included in the facility is a 110-seat auditorium that will host all kinds of community events, including concerts, author talks, theater productions, community events, meetings, Ted Talks, movies and so much more. These exciting programs will inspire, entertain, and educate people of all ages, interests and walks of life. The auditorium will provide opportunities to promote, highlight and advance the arts, cultural, and historic strengths of the region.
As part of our Capital Campaign, we are offering the community the opportunity to sponsor a seat and thereby, leave a lasting legacy in the Kennett Library & Resource Center.
First Floor - Bayard Taylor Quiet Study
AVAILABLE
Bayard Taylor Quiet Study
$750,000
First Floor - Adult Library and Stacks
*COMMITTED*
Adult Library and Stacks
$1,000,000
The adult library will have plenty of light and comfortable seating. Meet friends for a quiet conversation or browse the book stacks for that perfect read.
First Floor - Adult Furnishings
AVAILABLE
Adult Furnishings
$100,000
Book Stack/Shelf Plaque
First and second floor book stack/shelf plaque - end of row name plaques
Second Floor - Classroom
AVAILABLE
Classroom
$250,000
Flexible meeting space for programs or for use by nonprofit organizations, community groups, businesses, schools, and civic organizations. All rooms will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
Second Floor - Multi-Purpose Room #1
*COMMITTED*
Multi-Purpose Room #1
$250,000
Flexible meeting space for programs or for use by nonprofit organizations, community groups, businesses, schools, and civic organizations. All rooms will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
Second Floor - Multi-Purpose Room #2
*COMMITTED*
Multi-Purpose Room #2
$250,000
Flexible meeting space for programs or for use by nonprofit organizations, community groups, businesses, schools, and civic organizations. All rooms will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
Second Floor - Young Adult Group Study Room
*COMMITTED*
Young Adult Group Study Room
$100,000
Second Floor - Terrace
*COMMITTED*
Roof Terrace
$1,500,000
The Board of Directors have agreed to name the outdoor terrace the Melton Terrace honoring Dennis Melton a local architect and community supporter. Dennis’ fingerprints are on many buildings and community organizations, including the Kennett Library & Resource Center. He was the architect of record the new building and a longtime supporter of the library. Please join us in honoring Dennis and all he brought to southern Chester County by donating to the Melton Terrace.
Second Floor - Quiet Reading and Reflection Room
*COMMITTED*
Quiet Reading and Reflection Room
$500,000
Second Floor - Adult Maker Space
*COMMITTED*
Adult Maker Space
$500,000
A makerspace is a collaborative workspace for making, learning, exploring and sharing. They provide hands-on learning, helps with critical thinking skills and even boosts self-confidence.
The first official makerspace was created about 12 years ago in a library in upstate New York, since then libraries remain an ideal setting for makerspaces across the country.
The adult and teens makerspace is designed to provide patrons the opportunity to use 2D and 3D printing, laser and vinyl cutting and engraving, electronics software and equipment for coding and circuit work, textile equipment for sewing, embroidery, jewelry making, buttons and banners, etc. The space will also have computers and the software designed to support this equipment, such as CAD, Adobe Illustrator and more.
Second Floor - Young Adult Library and Stacks
AVAILABLE
Young Adult Library and Stacks
$500,000
There will be ample space for young adult library material and ample space to gather. The new Kennett Library & Resource Center will be a safe place for teens and tweens to meet to learn with each other, play video games or study.
Second Floor - Tudor Room #1
*COMMITTED*
Tudor Room #1
$50,000
There will be four tutor rooms in the new Kennett Library & Resource Center available for one-on-one tutoring either in person or on-line. All rooms will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
Second Floor - Tudor Room #2
*COMMITTED*
Tudor Room #2
$50,000
There will be four tutor rooms in the new Kennett Library & Resource Center available for one-on-one tutoring either in person or on-line. All rooms will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
Second Floor - Tudor Room #3
*COMMITTED*
Tudor Room #3
$50,000
There will be four tutor rooms in the new Kennett Library & Resource Center available for one-on-one tutoring either in person or on-line. All rooms will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
Second Floor - Tudor Room #4
*COMMITTED*
Tudor Room #4
$50,000
There will be four tutor rooms in the new Kennett Library & Resource Center available for one-on-one tutoring either in person or on-line. All rooms will have state of the art technology and audio/visual equipment.
Second Floor - Children's Library and Stacks
AVAILABLE
Children's Library and Stacks
$1,500,000
The open floor space in the children’s area will offer nooks and cubbyholes for quiet reading. There will be room for children’s programs and lots of seating space available for parents and caregivers.
Second Floor - Children's Library Trees
Six opportunities to name the trees that adorn the Children's Library
Second Floor - Children's Library Furnishings
*COMMITTED*
Children's Library Furnishings
$100,000
Second Floor - Children's Maker Space
*COMMITTED*
Children's Maker Space
$250,000
Second Floor - Lobby
AVAILABLE
Second Floor Lobby
$250,000
Climbing the stairs or the Learning Tree will lead you to the spacious and light filled second floor lobby that opens into the Children’s Library or the Young Adult area.
Join Us
The Kennett Library is a place of imagination, discovery, connectedness, and community. With your help, we can build this 21st Century Kennett Library & Resource Center which will serve the community for generations to come. Together, we can provide opportunities for people of all ages and all walks of life to gain the knowledge, skills, and confidence to have a better quality of life, and provide the resources to bring people together to build and strengthen our community. Thank you.
The campaign is pleased to have amazing and dedicated community leadership. Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup, Founders of Dansko, together with Paul Redman, President & CEO of Longwood Gardens are serving as Honorary Co-Chairs of the Campaign. Collis Townsend is serving as Chair of the Campaign Cabinet comprised of community leaders and philanthropists, and Jeff Yetter, as President of the Library Board of Trustees, is working with the Board members, Library Friends, and others to provide leadership and governance oversight for the project and campaign.
Board of Trustees
OFFICERS
Jeff Yetter, President
Appointed by Kennett Twp.
Bradley Peiper, Vice President
Appointed by Pocopson Twp.
Lee Sausen, Treasurer
Member-at-Large
William Majarian, Secretary
Member-at-Large
TRUSTEES
Barbara Bolton
Appointed by New Garden Twp.
Gail L. Bowden
Member-at-Large
Chris Britt
Member-at-Large
Todd Bruce
Appointed by Pennsbury Twp.
Lenda Carrillo
Appointed by Kennett Square
Margaret Egli
Appointed by East Marlborough Twp.
Barbara Forney
Appointed by Newlin Twp.
Daniel Gannon
Appointed by New Garden Twp.
Michael Guttman
Member-at-Large
Dr. Brenda Mercomes
Appointed by Kennett Square
Claire Murray
Member-at-Large
Barbara Necarsulmer
Appointed by Pennsbury Twp.
Dr. Loren Pearson
Appointed by Newlin Twp.
Corinne Sweeney
Appointed by East Marlborough Twp.
Collis O. Townsend
Appointed by Kennett Twp.
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS
Thomas C. Swett
Major Donors
LEADERSHIP GIFTS
$1,000,000 & Above
Aaron and Jean Martin†
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Kennett Library
Cabot Kjellerup Foundation*
$750,000 – $999,99
U.S. Federal Government
Ann* and Steven* Hutton
Carol and Jeff* Yetter
$500,000 – $749,999
East Marlborough Township
Kennett Township
New Garden Township
Longwood Foundation
$250,000 – $499,999
Downes Estate†
Gregory and Caroline Bentley**
Julie Carroll Noolan
Forney Family Foundation*
Longwood Gardens
Michael and Nancy Pia
Meredith and Michael Rotko
$100,000 – $249,999
Borough of Kennett Square
Chatham Financial Foundation
The Crystal Trust
Michael and Audrey F. Donohue
Mayor Matthew Fetick* and David Williams
John and Kerry Harper
Jennifer and Bob McNeil
Jack and Carol Merrick
Alice and Rod Moorhead
Newlin Township
Pennsbury Township
Leonard and Wendy Cotton-Orlando
Donald† and Suzanne† Phillips
The Phillips Family
Charles and Patricia Robertson
W.A. Speakman Family Foundation
The Bosley Family *
The Tri-M Group, LLC
Welfare Foundation
$50,000 – $99,999
The Arcadia Foundation
Blue Yak Foundation
Mark and Gail* Bowden
Dan* and Amanda Gannon
Exelon Corporation
John and Carlene Jackson
Kennett Area Rotary Alliance
Dale Melton**
Michael and Anne Moran
Christina Norland and Ben Horine
Debbie and Bob* Norris
Lynn Wachman and Mike Guttman*
West Marlborough Township
$25,000 – $49,999
Richard and Jessie Benjamin
Rob* and Marcy Fenza
Beiler-Cambell Realtors & Appraisers
Chichester duPont Foundation
Crestlea Foundation
The Davenport Foundation
Ann Humes
Stephanie Jackson†
William R. Landmesser†
Dr. Richard and Sara Leff
Marmot Foundation
Robert and Loren* Pearson
Duer and Edna Bennett† Pierce
Morris and Boo Stroud
The Hutton Family Help Fund Of The Chester County Community Foundation
Carol Elizabeth Ware
WSFS Community Foundation
Kennett Library Board of Trustees has collectively donated $1,350,341 to the Capital Campaign.
* Board or Cabinet Member
† Deceased
**Melton Terrace Donation