Wilkes County Public Library was built in 1999 with major contributions from The Herring Foundation. When Rose Herring passed away on January 3, 2022, the library received many donations in her memory. Along with the gifts came letters confirming Mrs. Herring’s love for her library and community. Library staff wanted to use the gifts for a significant purpose to honor such a big library supporter, so these funds became earmarked for new library furnishings. After evaluating the library’s needs, the library trustees, Friends of the Library, and the library’s endowment council began meeting to plan an upgrade of the building’s top floor.
In this year’s fiscal budget, the Wilkes County Government approved a contribution to help with a large portion of the estimated cost. Additional support came from the Friends of the Library and a library endowment distribution from the Winston-Salem Foundation. The Stone Foundation made a substantial contribution, and another large donation was given in memory of Edwin Dean Ferguson. The Herring Foundation provided the remaining projected costs for construction and furnishings.
A local construction company leads the project and is working with Nicole de Bruijn, a library staff member who has taken on the title of Facility Manager. The endowment council will host an appreciation event once the project is complete to thank donors and volunteers for their support.
The top floor will be closed during construction, but library visitors can still request materials and browse the collection on the lower level. Follow the library’s social media sites (Facebook, Instagram) to see progress on the new top-floor features as we anticipate the improved spaces!