First-of-a-Kind Donation
for Special Library Collection
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| Caption: Michael Carlin, Washington Gas Virginia Division Public Affairs Director, and Kathleen O'Leary, Vice President of Public Affairs for the Columbia Energy Group's Columbia Gas Transmission, present $30,000 of a planned $60,000 donation to the Fairfax County Public Library Foundation's Chair Laura Mandeles at the Reston Regional Library. |
Washington Gas and the Columbia Energy Group have pledged $60,000 to the Fairfax County Public Library Foundation, Inc. to establish a 1,500- volume energy and environment book collection and multimedia computer station at the Reston Regional Library. The gift also will provide a series of 20 programs for both children and adults to be presented at Library branches throughout the County.
Michael Carlin of Washington Gas and Kathleen O'Leary with the Columbia Energy Group presented the first installment, a check of $30,000, to Library Foundation Board Chair Laura Mandeles at a special gathering at the Reston Regional Library on October 9.
"To our knowledge, this partnership between energy providers and a public library is the first of its kind in the nation," said Library Foundation Chair Mandeles.
The Columbia Energy Group/Washington Gas Energy & Environment Collection will include material on topics such as ecology; energy conservation, production and distribution; and environmental law and policy. The computer station will provide access to five science and environmental databases to assist students of all ages with research on scientists and scientific discoveries with full-text articles from 150 popular and professional science periodicals, extensive timelines, biographical data, and more.
Programs planned for children will explore the rainforest, life in swamps, Chesapeake Bay animal inhabitants, and other topics. Adult programs will focus on consumer and safety information, the Chesapeake Bay, and environmental issues.
"We are pleased to be able to demonstrate our interest in energy and environmental issues in a most tangible way with this support for a major educational system, the Fairfax County Public Library," said O'Leary. Carlin added, "With this expansion of our current support to the Fairfax County Public Library, we emphasize our longstanding commitment to and support of energy, environmental and educational issues."
The Library will begin purchasing equipment and material for the Energy and Environment Collection immediately, which should be available for public use by early 1999. Readers can check the Library's catalog online at www.co.fairfax.va.us/library. The Fairfax County Public Library Foundation, which will administer the grant, is a private, nonprofit corporation committed to providing supplementary support to the Fairfax County Public Library. The Library Foundation's Internet site can be found at fcplfoundation.org.
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