ABOUT US & OUR MISSION

About UsThe Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation provides a way for the Central Ohio community to help support the library's long-range goals and objectives.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Andrew Carnegie granted money to almost 2,000 communities across the United States to establish public libraries. With this, he envisioned a system where communities would continue to support and maintain their libraries long after the original grant money was gone. It is in this spirit that the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation was established.

The foundation ensures that with the help of private donations the Columbus Metropolitan Library will continue to be a vital, responsive, and proactive library with programs and collections that capture the minds and hearts of readers and citizens of all ages.

The Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation was established in 1990 under its original name, the Carnegie Society Fund. The name was changed in 2005 to more clearly communicate to supporters the purpose of the foundation and its endowment.

The CML Foundation is a 501c3 charitable organization that relies on the contributions of individuals, businesses and foundations. The foundation has the authority to receive, hold, invest and administer property, and to make expenditures for the exclusive benefit of the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

A Board of Trustees has custodial responsibility over the foundation funds. Current Board of Trustee members of the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation are:

  • Corde Robinson, President
  • Mike Curtin, Vice President
  • Rick Schwieterman, Treasurer
  • Matt Kallner, Secretary
     
  • Chad Borton
  • Jerry Cohn
  • Elfi Di Bella
  • Russ Gertmenian
  • Mary Jo Green
  • Archie Griffin
  • Cindy Hilsheimer
  • Tom Katzenmeyer
  • Charlotte Kessler
  • Patrick Losinski
  • Amy Milbourne
  • Sam Porter
  • Dave Ryan
  • Barbara Siemer

For questions regarding the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, please contact Donna Zuiderweg at (614) 849-1053 or via email at dzuiderweg@columbuslibrary.org.