Honeywell Data Visualization Lab to Promote Innovation, Access and Opportunity
Charlotte, NC – May 13, 2021 – Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation is pleased to announce a generous investment of $1 million by Honeywell. The Fortune 100 technology company’s first gift to the Library system will support a Data Visualization Lab in the new Main Library, opening in 2024. Honeywell’s investment marks a major milestone in the $135 million CommonSpark campaign, bringing fundraising efforts to date over the $100 million mark.
The Honeywell Data Visualization Lab, on the Main Library’s Innovation and Opportunity level, will feature 270-degree screens that can be used for education, including youth engagement in STEM; civic and community planning sessions; gaming; simulation exercises and much more. Honeywell moved its global headquarters to Charlotte in 2019, and this gift represents a significant investment in the local community, aligning with the company’s commitment to supporting STEM education and diversity and inclusion initiatives.
“The Honeywell Data Visualization Lab will feature tech-enabled amenities that will help Charlotte Mecklenburg’s incredible new Main Library become a public commons that is second to none in terms of strengthening connections, enabling continuous learning and creating economic opportunity for all,” said Honeywell Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Darius Adamczyk. “We are pleased to support the CommonSpark campaign that is driving the creation of this signature Charlotte community resource.”
The new Main Library will be a destination for Mecklenburg County and beyond, a hub of dynamic programming for the Library system and an anchor of uptown’s Seventh and Tryon redevelopment.
“We’re very excited about the opportunities the Honeywell Data Visualization Lab will make possible by providing access to this Library resource for the general public. Honeywell’s technology expertise and active engagement will be invaluable as we plan and program this space,” says Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s CEO and Chief Librarian Marcellus “MT” Turner. “An investment in the Library is an investment in a strong community, and we couldn’t be more grateful to Honeywell and our community.”
This investment marks the beginning of Honeywell’s involvement with Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. This summer, Anne T. Madden, Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Honeywell, will join the Library Foundation board.
The CommonSpark is a comprehensive, $135 million public-private campaign to ignite change within the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system. The campaign includes funding for construction of a new Main Library; renovation of a Support Services Center; technology, innovation and programming throughout the Library system; an endowment for the future and annual operating support. The Honeywell gift brings funds raised to date over $100 million.
“We’re thrilled that Honeywell has helped us reach this major milestone. Their philanthropic leadership, together with investments from others in the corporate community, reaffirm our belief that a strong Library system makes our community an attractive place to do business,” says Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation Executive Director Jenni Gaisbauer. “The new Library’s program priorities include strengthening public engagement, supporting economic opportunity and connecting community resources.”
To learn more about the Commonspark campaign and how to contribute, visit https://foundation.cmlibrary.org/commonspark/.
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About Honeywell
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry-specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.
About Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation exists to help the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library improve lives and build a stronger community. Created as a non-profit 501(c)(3) in September 2012 in partnership with Foundation For The Carolinas and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library, the Foundation supports Library services, expands the Library’s collection of print and digital materials, enhances programming for all ages, invests in innovative initiatives and strives to grow its endowment for future generations. For more, visit foundation.cmlibrary.org.
About The CommonSpark
The CommonSpark is a public-private partnership to infuse $135 million into improving lives and building a stronger community. The campaign addresses an integrated set of needs: construction of a new Main Library; renovation of a Support Services Center; technology, innovation and programming throughout Charlotte Mecklenburg Library; an endowment for the future and annual Library operating support. For more, visit foundation.cmlibrary.org/commonspark
About Charlotte Mecklenburg Library
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is one of America’s leading urban public libraries, serving a community of more than one million citizens in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Through 20 locations, targeted outreach and online, the Library delivers exceptional services and programs, with a mission to improve lives and build a stronger community. For more, visit cmlibrary.org.
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Media Contact: Melanie Baron
Marketing & Communications Specialist
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation
(704) 618-3404
Email: mbaron@cmlibrary.org
