A Pillar
of the
Community
Since 1896
The library is a center of wisdom. Through it our community is enriched as are our lives. Mount Vernon's Library is a necessity for all growing minds. Your help is key to keeping this vital center sustained. Each contribution allows us to better serve the community by expanding programs and enhancing services. To invest in the Library and our community
Donate Now!
Donate!
Celebrating
over 150 years
with a Kick
Cocktail Reception
at the Carnegie
TICKETS!
The Mount Vernon Public Library is located at 28 South First Avenue, Mount Vernon, NY 10550. The Mount Vernon Public Library was chartered by the State of New York in March, 1896. Andrew Carnegie, the retired steel tycoon and benefactor of libraries, donated $50,000 in 1904 that allowed for the building to be constructed on its present site. The library is a Neoclassical Revival style building.
In 1958, the library became the Central Library of the newly formed Westchester Library System. It is the largest Library in Westchester County and the sixth largest in New York State. Starting with about 5,000 books in 1896, the Library's collection houses over 500,000 volumes and subscribes to approximately 800 current magazines, journals and newspapers.
The Children's Room houses over 80,000 volumes. Contemporary literature as well as retrospective titles are available. The collection features growing multi-cultural, parenting and foreign books sections. The Anne Izard Storytelling Collection is housed here.
The newly formed Computer Center provides access to the Kid's Catalog and the Internet. Educational computer games can be played on the MacIntosh.
Videos, cassettes, and recorded books form the audio visual collection. Parenting videos are the latest addition to the non-print arena. Family friendly programs and special events are held throughout the week. Many programs are available, including:
The Mount Vernon Public Library Book Club cordially invites you to join a gathering of your friends and neighbors to explore and discuss books of interest to our community.
The Gates Computer Training Lab is open for scheduled workshops and lab practice sessions only. Workshop schedules and registration forms are available at the Library's Circulation desk.
The Mount Vernon Public Library has since 1972 provided free, confidential, one-to-one tutoring in Basic Literacy and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to the Mount Vernon community as well as surrounding communities. It is the first public library, in the United States, to house and support a literacy program.
The Mount Vernon Public Library Foundation, Inc. is the philanthropic arm of the Mount Vernon Public Library. The Foundation, which was incorporated in 2004, is committed to celebrating literacy and forging the path to the revitalization and expansion of the Mount Vernon Public Library.
Last year was our first gala and we were able to raise $20,000 towards the rejuvenation of the Childrens library. Our campaign this year will continue to focus on youth. The proceeds of the gala will go towards the development of a literacy and technology room to meet the needs of our teens.
Our next big project will be the revitalization of the teen fiction room.
Our mission is to provide quality library service to the nearly 70,000 residents representing 98 nationalities in the City of Mount Vernon. We offer a comprehensive and active program of library services, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Computer Training Lab; a recently renovated Early Childhood Matters! Learn & Play Corner through a partnership with Westchester Jewish Community Services; a newly installed Art Gallery in the Library's Rotunda, programmed by the Westchester Arts Council; literacy programs for youth and adults; and a technology center for job searching and research.
We are very excited about our very diverse group of board members who are working to make the Mount Vernon Public Library continue in its distinguished legacy. Board members serve for two years and attend monthly meetings. We meet the second Monday of each month at 6pm. If you are interested in joining us, please send an email to mvplfoundation_gmail.com
Camille Banks-Lee is the current President of the Board of Directors for the Mount Vernon Public Library Foundation. She was a teacher and school administrator in the Ossining Public Schools and worked as an adjunct professor at Manhattanville College. She was born and raised in the city of Mount Vernon and most recently she served as the Executive Director of the City of Mount Vernon Youth Bureau. Camille is on the Advisory Board of the Child Development Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. She has a Bachelors degree from Fairfield University and has graduate degrees in Education from Fordham and Columbia and is currently in graduate school at New York University.
Brian G. Johnson, is a founding member and the current Vice President of the Mount Vernon Public Library. Brian received his bachelors degree in Business Management from Fordhams Marymount College . He has a Juris Doctor from The Ohio State Unversity and is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Westchester County Bar Association, and is a board member of the Westchester Black Bar Association. Brian has been an Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of Mount Vernon, New York for over six years. He volunteers his time to serve as a Court Arbitrator for the City of Mount Vernon, City Court.
John Madeo currently serves as the Foundations treasurer. He has worked as the head of the Development Division for Mountco Construction and Development Corporation, since 1989. Mountco, which specializes in the development and construction of affordable and workforce housing throughout the New York Metropolitan region. Prior to joining Mountco, John worked for 20 years in the affordable housing industry heading up not for profit housing companies both in Westchester County, and Fairfield County in Connecticut.. John received his bachelors degree from Fairfield University, a Masters Degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Southern California, and a Juris Doctorate from Fordham Law School.
Kamili Bell Hill is an avid supporter of the arts and serves as the Secretary for the Foundation Board. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Fairfield University and her Juris Doctorate from Quinnipiac School of Law. She served as the past President of the Westchester Chapter of Mocha Moms, Inc., and is an active Board Member of the Parents Association at Sarah Lawrence College Early Childhood Center. She is the owner of MySkye Events, a full-service event planning company. She is an author whose writing has appeared in two anthologies, "Sisterfriend Soul Journeys" and "Journey to Empowerment;" and she is currently working on her first young adult novel, The Edge of Thirteen.
Mitzi Ambrose-Washington is a resident of Mount Vernon and has over ten years of experience in media, advertising and sales. Mitzi has put her expertise to use at several national magazines and media companies including Ebony, OK!, The Hollywood Reporter, Nielsen Media Research and Ammirati Puris Lintas. Mitzi now works in pharmaceutical sales for Astra Zeneca representing brands that put patients health first. Mitzi is a 1993 graduate of Howard University. She currently is pursuing a Masters in Public Relations at Iona College.
Dean Bailey is co-founder and visionary for the Greater Metro Realty Group, LLC in Mount Vernon, NY. Mr. Bailey graduated from The New School of Social Research, New York City, with a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing/Public Relations and a Master of Arts in Communication. Most notably, he obtained the Transnational Executive Master of Business deg ree from Fordham University in New York. A resident of Mount Vernon and lifetime resident of Westchester County, Mr. Bailey is in touch with the pulse of the community at large. In turn, he donates his time and efforts to the Mount Vernon Little League Association and numerous non-profit endeavors.
Jasmine Bellamy, a Mt. Vernon resident, is the owner of JBell Consulting and co-founder of Chocolate Chip which CONNECTS, INSPIRES and TRANSFORMS African American families. Passionate about shaping and developing strong brands, Jasmine is an adjunct professor of marketing at LIM College: Where Business Meets Fashion. Jasmine earned a Bachelor of Science in Marketing Management from Syracuse University and a Master of Business Administration in Media Management from Fordham University's Graduate School of Business. Jasmine is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc and Jack and Jill of America.
Raquel M. Bennett is a life-long resident of Mount Vernon with a history of secular and non-secular community service. She is currently the First Vice President for the Mount Vernon Day Care Center of which she has been a member for over five years. Raquel has a MS in Adult Education and Human Resource Development from Fordham University and a MA of History from Brooklyn College. She is committed to education, particularly education of adults and has been in the field of higher education for over fifteen years. She is currently employed at Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York as the Director of the Associate Arts Teacher Education Program and Assessment Coordinator, and as an Adjunct at Westchester Community College.
Ronnie Cox has lived in Mount Vernon for almost 40 years. As a Public Relations and marketing executive, she created and implemented public affairs strategy for American Express, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, the Florida Department of Citrus, and other corporations. As a fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Association, she secured funds for research and the annual Jerry Lewis Telethon. Ms. Cox has volunteered extensively on behalf of the community, families and youth. Recently, she spearheaded a successful fundraiser to reinstate Interscholastic Athletics within the school district.
Shari A. Griffin is a resident of Mount Vernon and has been a member of this foundation for over two years. She is currently, Manager of Network Engineering for Verizon Communications. She received her Bachelors of Science, in Electrical Engineering from Binghamton University and her Masters of Science in Telecommunications Management from Stevens Institute of Technology. She holds memberships in the National Society of Black Engineers and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Gwen Lymon is a resident of Mount Vernon. She is a graduate of Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, MS and has an MSW from New York University. Gwen is employed as a School Social Worker in the Ossining Public Schools district. She is also a licensed real estate salesperson at Four Seasons Real Estate Center in Mount Vernon. Gwen is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, Westchester Alliance of Black School Educators, New York State School Social Workers Association and the Fleetwood Neighborhood Association. She is a Red Cross Volunteer and a mentor for the Scarsdale Transfer Education Program. She is also on the Advisory Board of Family Focus Adoption Services.
David Ockene earned a B.A. degree from The City College of New York and a M.S. degree from Columbia University. He has been a resident of Mount Vernon since 1972. He was a librarian for over 40 years with The New York Public Library. Now retired, he is able to spend more time enjoying the resources of the Mount Vernon Public Library.
Shirlee Morgan has lived in Mount Vernon for over 35 years. She received her Bachelor's degree in IT Systems:Business Applications from Fordham University and has over 20 years of business experience working in the Consumer Packaged Goods and Manufacturing Industryworking with such clients as Colgate, Haagen-Dazs, Dannon, Crayola, Bayer, Lipton, Goya, Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs.She also currently serves on the executive board of the Westchester chapter support group of Mocha Moms.
Shelley Topping received her MSW degree from Columbia University where her coursework focused on Children and Family Services. She completed her undergraduate work at Wellesley College where she majored in Urban Studies and minored in Philosophy. Shelley Topping has 10+ years of youth development and advocacy experience. She sits on the Artworks for Youth Board and the Wellesley-in-Westchester Board where she co-leads the programming committee. She was recently the Director of Fordham Universitys Liberty Partnership Program in the Northwest section of the Bronx. In her role as Director, Shelley coordinated the implementation and delivery of much needed social and academic services to area middle and high school students. Prior to this post, she was the school Social Worker for the Community Partnership Charter School in Brooklyn, New York
Karen Williams is a proud resident of the city of Mount Vernon and the Director of Admission at Eugene Lange College, The New School, in New York City. She is also a writer, speaker and founding president of Ivy Educational Consulting (IEC), a highly regarded firm that specializes in college admission counseling, diversity training, and career counseling. When she's not writing or speaking, she serves as an active board member of the College Careers20Fund of Westchester, Inc. and the ZNO Community Service Fund, Inc. She also holds memberships in the National Association of College Admission Counseling, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and serves on Eastern Regional Nominating Committee for Jack and Jill of America, Inc,. Karen has completed doctoral coursework in Education at George Washington University and a Master of Education degree in Counseling and Development from George Mason University. She also received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies from the University at Albany, State University of NY.
The Mount Vernon Public Library has an active series of programs taking place for teens ages 13 to 18. During July and August of this year, thirty-six separate activities were scheduled, in addition to assisting students with selecting books and completing their summer reading assignments for school. Currently, the teen program has a space of approximately 24 x14 feet to house a burgeoning book collection; no permanent, designated space exists for teens to study and take part in activities designed especially for them.
This year our fundraising efforts will be used towards necessary physical renovations to the nonFiction Room in order to convert the space into a functional space for young adults. This will include installing wiring for computer network access and wireless access; installing soundproofing; purchasing comfortable seating, computer stations, study tables and chairs; and repairing and replacing shelving.
Please join us in creating a state of the art room for the young people of the city of Mount Vernon.
Simply click the Donate! button. This will bring you to PayPal, a fast and secure way for you to donate online without exposing your financial information. There is no need for you to have a PayPal account or sign up for anything. It's that easy!
If you would prefer to mail in your donation,
checks can be made to the Mount Vernon Public Library Foundation and mailed to the following address:
PO box 466
Mt. Vernon, NY 10552
Dear Friends,
We are up in age and Proud Of It!
The Mount Vernon Public Library Foundation invites you to a cocktail celebration. This Carnegie is buffing up for an evening of strutting and you and your friends are invited to be our guest.
Experience the Carnegie of original Tiffany displays and Fresco Hall in a new, exciting and evolving way as we kick off a year of celebrating.
For tickets or more information, please contact Brian Johnson at bgjesquire_aol.com; MVPLFoundation_gmail.com at PayPal or Mary Harper at (914) 668-1840 x223 or mharper_wlsmail.org.
Kick off the celebration with a Cocktail Reception at the Carnegie:
TIME: 6pm
DATE: Thursday, November 11.
Buy Tickets
Here!
Buy Now
The 2009 VIP Gala was an incredible success.
The Mount Vernon Public Library Foundation presented their
Second Annual Fundraiser Gala
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Mistress of Ceremony Marlene Furtick
Westchester County Youth Bureau
Guest Performances by
Harrigan Educational & Cultural Center at Grace Baptist Church,
Triple Hill Arts Initiative and Young at Arts
Live Music, Fine Food and Wine
Awards Ceremony and Silent Auction
Honorees were Joyce Harrigan, Donna Jackson, and Sharyn Pirtle.
Join Our Mailing List!
MVPLFoundation_gmail.com
The Mount Vernon Public Library Foundation
cordially invites you to our annual fundraising event celebrating excellence in the arts
Thursday October 22, 2009
6:00pm until 10:00 pm
Honoring the work of
Joyce Harrigan, Harrigan Dance Company
Donna M. Jackson, Triple Hill Arts Initiative
Sharyn Pirtle, Young at Arts
Live Music, Dancing, Dinner and Silent Auction
VIP Country Club
New Rochelle, New York
Emcee of the evening will Marlene Furtick,
Executive Director
