The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library has received a $10 million gift from the foundations of Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper.
The donation came from both The Tepper Foundation and the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation. It will go toward the new Main Library that will sit on the site of the current uptown branch.
The former Main Library closed in October, leaving library workers to remove some 140,000 collection items from the facility. The new Main Library is scheduled to open in late 2025.
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library CEO and Chief Librarian Marcellus Turner says in addition to offering books, the new library will have meeting space for the community and a workforce development center with expanded services to help people find jobs.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to apply for a job on a cellphone, but it can be challenging," Turner said. "I think that’s one of the beauties of it. It’s the one-on-one that our staff can engage with them.”
Turner says the library’s foundation has raised $115 million toward its $143 million campaign for the new Main Library and the library system’s other offerings.
“The Teppers recognize Charlotte Mecklenburg Library’s impact in the region, and the power of our mission to improve lives and build a stronger community,” Jenni Gaisbauer, executive director of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation said in a news release.
