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Celebrating 60 Years of Giving to The Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library
Celebrating 60 Years of Giving
to The Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library
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Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Courtesy of HMMPL and Tell a Story Photography
Zionsville Monthly is proud to be a longtime supporter of the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library (HMMPL) and a sponsor of the HMMPL Diamond Jubilee Book Ball. This year’s event will be held August 20 from 7-11 p.m., at the HMMPL Zionsville branch.
The event will feature many ways to support HMMPL, including a “Fund-a-Need” item specifically for the library’s new, second location, currently being built at 6310 E. Albert S. Whitestown Blvd., in Whitestown. The Fund-a-Need will raise funds for the installation of a beautiful tree sculpture and an interactive wall that will be featured in the new children’s area.
We spoke with the co-presidents of the HMMPL Foundation Catherine “Cathy” Coscia and LeeAnn Biggs about the past, present and future of the library and the foundation that supports its programs. And once the second branch has been built and officially opens, HMMPL will be able to add to its robust menu of programs and will offer a variety of new programs that will be unique to the new location by virtue of its ample indoor space and outdoor amenities.
However, these exceptional programs and opportunities for the community are supported in large part by the HMMPL Foundation and, in turn, the Foundation needs the continued support of the community. The needs are going to be greater than ever because HMMPL will be expanding their programs at both of its locations and the need to support the HMMPL Foundation is just as important as the foundation supports the present and the future of HMMPL.
Building the Foundation
The Book Ball was an event that originally debuted in 1962. It was organized by the Psi Iota Xi sorority and held at the Dol-
phin Country Club in Indianapolis, and the proceeds benefited the Children’s Reading Room of the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library (HMMPL) in Zionsville.
The debut of the Book Ball correlated with the opening of HMMPL’s Hawthorne Street location, where the Library operated from 1962-1994. In 1998, the formalized 501c3 Foundation was formed with the specific purpose to support HMMPL.
To date, the Foundation has surpassed $1 million in grants to HMMPL and continues to donate thousands of dollars each year to support technical, logistical and outreach initiatives.
Past examples of the foundation Grants/Giving include Wi-Fi capability and upgrades, library catalog stations, the Bookmobile, mobile outreach station, the outdoor sensory garden, upgraded self-checkout stations, and several other essential library programs and services.
Biggs and Coscia explained that many of the grants that the Foundation awards are HMMPL staff initiated and range from large projects and improvements to smaller scale projects such as the “Seed Library” project.
“The Seed Library, which has been wildly popular, is certainly not the largest grant,” Biggs said. “But then we got grants for new drop boxes in the front [of the library] because those were 20 years old. The Foundation invests in something, it serves its purpose and then its time to refresh and that’s what we’ve done with many different grants. If you print out all of the [Foundation] grants awarded in the past 20 years, it’s 70 pages.”
Get Your Tickets—Today!
Don’t miss this opportunity to experience the library in a different light and after hours! Enjoy live music by Greta Speaks, food from Sweet & Savory catering, drinks and live auction by auctioneer, Sue Wickliff, with items including Colts’ sideline tickets with VIP parking, a weeklong stay at a Seaside, FL Condo, a specially commissioned David Seward Painting, a Night in Italy dinner for eight with paired wines from the Wine Guy, an opportunity for your child to record the Library’s daily closing message and an opportunity to sing with the band during the event.
Coscia added, “We hope that people are ready to have a fun evening. The library is absolutely transformed! There will be special literary cocktails, a scavenger hunt, a 1960s trivia game and another special game. There will be dancing after the live auction and Fund-a-Need. You will need to be present to win the auction items.”
Biggs and Coscia emphasized that HMMPL’s mission is to be a life learning center without borders. The branches will continue the library’s purpose which is to be a vital component of the communities in which it serves; connecting people, connecting interests as it continues to evolve with the changing needs of a growing county and advancing technologies.
HMMPL certainly looks different from its inception, 60 years ago. But it continues to be a beacon of education and hub of resources for those seeking them, as well a place to build community and make new connections.
Please join us in supporting the HMMPL Foundation. Purchase tickets online at: hmmplfoundation.org/events-1. For more information on the HMMPL Foundation’s grants, visit hmmplfoundation.org/projects. If you’d like to donate directly to the Foundation, there is a “Donate Now” tab on the Foundation’s webpage as well.
Jane Burgess
Talks About The Future of Fundraising for HMMPL Foundation
Writer // Janelle Morrison • Photography // Laura Arick
As the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Library (HMMPL) prepares to celebrate its Diamond Jubilee, we thought it prudent to talk with one of the newest members of the HMMPL Foundation Board of Directors—Zionsville resident Jane Burgess—about the importance of fundraising and how the foundation is working through the current state of the economy to raise the necessary funds to support both of the HMMPL branches and its robust menu of programs and services offered by the library staff.
Exemplary Prowess in Fundraising
Burgess has resided in Zionsville for 20 years along with her husband Claude and their two children Kristin and Thomas—who went through the Zionsville Community School (ZCS) system. Burgess served on the ZCS School Board for three terms. Additionally, Burgess serves on the board of Habitat for Humanity of Boone County and is a past president of the St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild. She is also heavily involved at her church—Zionsville Presbyterian Church.
“I began my [fundraising] journey with the ZCS school board when I was first elected in 2008,” Burgess said. It was one of the greatest opportunities and was an honor to serve our community in that way.”
A few of the highlights while serving on that board that Burgess is most proud of include initiatives such as “Strong in Every Way,” approving the multi-purpose stadium and the sponsorship of said stadium with Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, and the passing of the school’s operating levy in 2012 [which was renewed in 2015].
“We [the school board] secure the most lucrative sponsorship for ZCS to offset the cost of the multi-purpose stadium,” Burgess stated. “Along with that partnership with Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, we were able to get athletic trainers and school nurses in that package. It was really exciting to be part of that [process] as well.”
While serving as president of the St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild in 2020-21, Burgess’s greatest challenge was to raise money from the guild’s primary fundraiser—The Decorator’s Show House and Gardens—amid the COVID pandemic.
“The silver lining of that [challenge] was that we rethought how we did
a number of things and the way we did the show house,” Burgess recalled. “We did timed ticketing and we increased our sponsorships. We created a ‘marketplace’ rather than a café and all of the things we did ended up making it very successful. We raised $316,000 for the Center for Nursing Excellence at Eskenazi Health— during a pandemic. It was amazing the way that the guild members, designers, contractors, and landscapers all came together and really, pulled off nothing short of an amazing accomplishment during that time.”
Burgess also spearheaded the fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity of Boone County in 2017.
Burgess added, “We were able to raise $97,000 which was nearly the price of building a home. Habitat is near and dear to my heart. I started on that board 6 years ago and have been involved for over 20 years in different capacities. It’s important for everybody to have a place to call home and Habitat gives people a hand up—not a handout—while it’s changing the trajectories of their lives and offering a secure home environment for families.”
Growing the Foundation Alongside a Growing Population
As the HMMPL service areas continue to grow, so do the needs of the residents. The HMMPL Foundation’s focus is to grow its level of support for the HMMPL staff and the essential programs and services it offers throughout this expansion period and beyond—to secure a strong community asset for the present population and future generations.
Burgess expressed her gratitude for being invited to join the HMMPL Foundation Board and is excited to bring her board and fundraising experience to the table to further serve the community and county in which she resides.
“I was very honored to be asked to join [the HMMPL Foundation Board] because I do think that the library is such an important part of the community,” Burgess expressed. “The staff is phenomenal, truly, and it really was an easy and natural transition to go from serving on the ZCS School Board to being part of the foundation board. Both serve our community; our children and families and I think it’s an exciting time in the life of the Hussey-Mayfield Memorial Public Library.”
Burgess continued, “The foundation nurtures the creativity and ingenuity of the staff. The foundation is a mechanism that allows us to grant the HMMPL staff the monetary needs that make it possible for our staff to implement their innovative ideas. We are so excited to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee and the Book Ball event will bring the community together for something so positive.”
Fundraising Amid Global Economic Uncertainty
Along with experience, Burgess brings to the foundation board a proven track record of successful fundraising amid challenging times. When asked to share her thoughts on fundraising for not just one facility but for two facilities and how the HMMPL Foundation perceives fundraising in the current economic climate, Burgess stated, “What I have perpetually seen in our community is its generosity. People support the causes and organizations that they believe in. Certainly, these are challenging financial times right now. I also believe that people still have the spirit of generosity for the causes they believe in. That’s just the kind of community that we live in. I’m always amazed at how people in our community are willing to step up and do whatever is needed. We collectively work together to meet the goals.”
We spoke with the co-presidents of the HMMPL Foundation Catherine “Cathy” Coscia and LeeAnn Biggs about what they believe Burgess brings to the foundation board.
“I’ve worked with Jane for over 20 years in many different volunteer capacities from Sunday school at church—when our kids were the same age—to St. Margaret’s [Guild],” Coscia shared. “I’ve watched Jane prepare for school board meetings and we’ve been elders together at ZPC. Jane brings all those strengths to the foundation board and her experiences illustrate her deep involvement in the community. Her being willing to work on the foundation board is very impactful.”
Biggs concluded, “Our children were in the same graduating class at Zionsville Community High School. So, I’ve known her all these years and we did deep dives into show choir things and activities at the school. Because of her service to the community, and because I’ve always had a positive experience working with Jane, I am—personally—very glad that she joined the foundation board.”
For more information on the HMMPL Foundation Board and the upcoming Diamond Jubilee Book Ball, visit hmmplfoundation.org.
