FAQs
For lots of detailed project information visit the Library Building Committee’s One Stop Shop for all the details:
Who is the Mont Vernon Library Charitable Foundation (MVLCF)?
MVLCF is a public charity, founded to create a safe, tax-exempt vehicle to raise funds for a new library for Mont Vernon and recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt organization in 2015. Contributions to the MVLCF may be tax-deductible and can only be used “for the enhancement and capital improvement of the public library of Mont Vernon, New Hampshire”. As a public charity, MVLCF must derive its support from the general public, meaning that a significant amount of our revenue must come from small donors, other public charities or the government. The MVLCF Board of Directors (Board) consists entirely of unpaid volunteers, dedicated to making this project a reality for Mont Vernon with the lowest possible tax impact.
The current MVLCF Board members are:
● President - Cindy Raspiller
● Treasurer - Spencer Lovette
● Secretary - Jane King
● Director - Bonnie Angulas
● Director - Larry Breckenridge
● Director - Lorri Hayes
● Director - Sheila Sturm
The Board has been active for several years but 2022 brought it to a whole new level. During much of the year the board met weekly, often for several hours. During 2022 alone they brought in the $655K National Endowment for the Humanities Infrastructure Challenge Grant, delivered record-setting results in the annual NH Gives one day giving challenge, launched a unique summer neighborhood challenge that raised over $50K and added over 100 donors to the project and worked with major project supporters to bring in more than $500K to the project in Naming Rights commitments. MVLCF donors are helping make the library for Mont Vernon’s next 100 years a reality by focusing every day on how to minimize the cost to the taxpayers for this outstanding project. In 2023, the Board was expanded to add two new Directors to enhance the Board’s ability to continue to raise funds to reduce the tax impact of the project.
Who are the Mont Vernon Library Trustees (Library Trustees)?
The Library Trustees are elected by Mont Vernon voters. Each Library Trustee serves a three-year term. They are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the library, including managing personnel, managing the budget, and setting library policy.
They should not be confused with trustees appointed by the probate court to administer the Sophia G. Daland Trust (See “Who is the Sophia G. Daland Trust”).
The current Library Trustees are:
Chair – Cindy Raspiller (term expires 2025)
Treasurer – Jane King (term expires 2026)
Secretary – Amy White (term expires 2024)
Who is the Sophia G. Daland Trust (Daland Trust)?
The Daland Trust is a private testamentary trust established by Sophia G. Daland’s will. Five Trustees, appointed by the Probate Court, administer the Trust.
They should not be confused with Mont Vernon Library Trustees elected by the voters of Mont Vernon (See “Who are the Library Trustees”).
Under the terms of Sophia Daland’s will, the Trust provides significant resources to the Town of Mont Vernon every year by paying for all library building maintenance and utilities. Mont Vernon is one of only two NH towns with no town appropriation for library maintenance or utilities.
The current Trustees of the Daland Trust are:
Anne Dodd
Scott Foster
Peter King
Jill Weber
Jane-Holly Weintraub
Who is the Library Building Committee (LBC)?
During earlier design phases, John Quinlan was asked by the Mont Vernon Library Trustees (Library Trustees) to chair the LBC. He was joined by Bill McKinney. In 2022, to recognize John’s return to the Mont Vernon Select Board and to support the added workload on the committee during final design, the LBC was expanded to include new voting members Christine Hamilton and Charlie York. Christine and Charlie both brought a wealth of experience and expertise as well as a fresh perspective to the project. Bill moved into the role of the LBC Chair and John remained involved in the project in his new role as the Select Board’s representative to the Library Trustees. In 2023, Mike Jungers replaced Charlie York on the LBC. In addition to the three voting members, five advisors supported the LBC throughout the final design and proposal process. If you are interested in the LBC’s work, you can find their meeting minutes online. The LBC has put in countless hours of work since August 2022 to finalize the design and conduct the proposal process while studying every detail to assure the project delivers at the lowest possible cost to the taxpayers.
The current members of the Library Building Committee are:
Voting Members
Bill McKinney - Chair
Christine Hamilton
Mike Jungers
Nonvoting Advisors
Anne Dodd - Daland Trust
Jill Weber - Daland Trust
John Quinlan - Select Board
Adrienne Penkacik - Conservation Commission
Cindy Raspiller - Library Trustees
Bonnie Angulas - Library Director
Penny Dickson - Landscaping
Larry Breckenridge - MVLCF
What is the NEH Grant and how does it affect the project?
In early 2022, the Mont Vernon Library Charitable Foundation was awarded a matching grant worth up to $655,000 by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH). This Infrastructure and Capacity Building Challenge Grant will directly support the new library building project. The award was the result of an extensive application submitted by the MVLCF Board of Directors, with support from many other town organizations.
The grant provides a 25% match on all qualifying contributions. To date, MVLCF can qualify $380K or 58% of the grant funding. MVLCF expects to qualify for the entire grant award, meaning that $655,000 will be available to the project. There are some restrictions on how the grant funding may be used and because it is a federal grant there are several requirements that MVLCF must fulfill. The project must successfully complete NEH’s Historic Preservation and Environmental Reviews and allow for public comment. We expect to complete these requirements later this year.
Our project is the only 2022 recipient in NH and one of only 23 projects nationwide. It is the largest NEH grant ever awarded in NH. Congresswoman Annie Kuster visited the library in April of 2022 to congratulate the team and has continued to partner with Mont Vernon leaders to identify additional sources of funding to support the project.
How can I help?
There are lots of ways to get involved:
Join the Friends of the Daland Memorial Library (Friends of the Library): The Friends of the Library don’t just support library programs; they’ve also been raising funds to provide the circulation desk in the new library.
Consider joining or working with the Mont Vernon Library Charitable Foundation (MVLCF) Board of Directors. MVLCF is also looking for anyone with grant writing experience who may be willing and able to help.
Does your employer match charitable donations? If yes, ask them to add MVLCF to the list of charities they support.
Interested in donating or pledging? Visit the MVLCF website. Talk to one of the MVLCF Board Members or send us an email. We have many levels and types of giving available – including some exciting naming opportunities.