The CommonSpark campaign gains another notable philanthropic leader for its list of supporters

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – October 26, 2022 – Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation is delighted to announce the generous investment of $1 million from The Leon Levine Foundation to The CommonSpark campaign.

A longtime Library supporter and early Library Foundation investor, The Leon Levine Foundation’s values of leadership and opportunity align with the Library’s position as a cornerstone of the community, a place that is open to all.

“Our goal has always been to support organizations that help people reach self-sufficiency,” said Tom Lawrence, president of The Leon Levine Foundation, “The Library meets people where they are to provide the resources they need to grow and thrive. Our gift to the CommonSpark campaign expresses our confidence in the Library’s ability to empower people.”

In recognition of their investment the destination reading room in the new Main Library will be named for founders Sandra and Leon Levine. The fifth-floor room will be a contemplative space for quiet study and special collections with easy access to a terrace overlooking the northern Uptown skyline. The light-filled, serene space will be a place for traditional library lovers and those wanting to escape into a good book.

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.

“I’ve always been impressed by their civic-minded philanthropic focus and their commitment to the residents of Mecklenburg County,” said Rob Harrington, Library trustee and co-chair for The CommonSpark Campaign, “the Library Foundation and I are so grateful for their steadfast support and their contribution to this important and ambitious project.”

The CommonSpark is a comprehensive, $143 million public-private campaign to ignite change within the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system. The campaign includes funding for construction of a new Main Library; a new Library Administration Center; technology, innovation and programming throughout the Library system; an endowment for the future and annual operating support.

To learn more about the CommonSpark campaign and how to contribute, visit https://foundation.cmlibrary.org/commonspark/.