Special Benefactors @ your library ^®

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You can be a benefactor, too! Learn how to make a donation to the library!

Mr. Curtis L. Andrews (1929-2011), lifelong Petersburg resident, regularly delivered bouquets of flowers to the library. He said that he enjoyed making the staff happy, and he liked to "brighten up the place."

Mr. Glin D. Casey (1914-2004), well-known artist and sculptor, donated several pieces of art to the Richard Bland College Library. Mr. Casey also donated signed copies of his booklet Sketching for Metal Sculpture and Self Development.

Mr. Robert Churn (1926-2009), who was once the head of Student Services at Richard Bland College, donated two rare editions now in Special Collections at the Richard Bland College Library: The Roman History (4th edition, 1713) written by Laurence Echard in the 18th century and Sir Walter Scott's Lake of the Lake (circa 1857).

Mr. Kenneth Graves donated some of his artwork to the RBC Library. In addition to being a former adjunct faculty member of Richard Bland College, Mr. Graves taught science, woodwork, special education, and art in public schools in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. He was also a former board member of the Petersburg Area Art League.

Mr. Alexander Hamilton Jr. (1906-1997), local attorney and former Petersburg mayor, donated over fifty rare literary and historical volumes to the Richard Bland College Library in the late 1990s. Mr. Hamilton served as Petersburg vice mayor from 1938 to 1940, as mayor from 1940 to 1944 and as city councilman from 1944 to 1946. In addition, he was an attorney for more than 52 years, retiring as a partner in White, Hamilton, Wyche and Shell during the early 1980s.

Mrs. Thelma Helmick (1924-2010) donated artwork and over 230 art and photography books to the RBC Library. Mrs. Helmick illustrated and designed the cover to Liz Howerton's From Desperation to Jubilation: My Five Year Journey; she also worked in oils, watercolor, pastels, colored pencils, and charcoal. Mrs. Helmick also taught art to young students and held exhibitions throughout the greater Tri-Cities area.

Mr. William D. Henderson, published author and former Richard Bland College history professor, donated a number of his own books — many about Petersburg, Virginia — to the college library. Mr. Henderson is the member of several historical societies, is a Fellow of the Company of Military Historians and belongs to the Richmond Civil War Round Table.

Mr. Richard Lyon Jones, B.A., L.L.B., author and Richard Bland College Library benefactor, presents Dr. McNeer (left) with A History of Henrico Parish and Old St. John's Church Richmond Virginia 1611-1904. Mr. Jones is author of the book Dinwiddie County, Carrefour of the Commonwealth: a History. In May 2010, Mr. Jones donated over 265 books—including biographies, rare books, and general, military, and Virginia histories—from his personal collection.

Ms. Elizabeth Winston Lanier (1907-1996), graduate of The College of William & Mary, former president of the Alpha Pi Chapter of Kappa Delta Sorority, teacher of English & American history and former member & officer of Delta Kappa Gamma, donated over 100 books and countless travel resources to the Richard Bland College Library.

Mrs. Anna Lou Musgrove (1914-2003), local artist, art teacher and patron of the arts, donated many pieces of her own artwork to the Richard Bland College Library. She also donated her slides and photos from educational trips abroad to Europe.

Roland M. Parsons former member of the Richard Bland College Security Department, is a very generous supporter of the Library. Over the years, he has contributed to the Graduate Books program, and he has also donated audiovisual equipment and a significant number of DVDs.

Dr. James Ryan, author and Richard Bland College Library benefactor, has donated artwork and a vast array of historical resources to the library. Many of his contributions to the collections have been added to the Virginia Room.

Mrs. Marjorie Z. Solenberger (1917-2003), Richard Bland College public relationist and library benefactor, donated several paintings to the RBC Library. Prior to her passing, she contributed significantly to the college, to the Library, to the surrounding area, and to the memory of Richard Bland.

Mr. Cliff Walker (1951-2007) retired from his position as Richard Bland College Housekeeping Supervisor in 2007. This beloved employee, who worked at the College for thirty years, had always been a big supporter and "special friend" of the library!

The Library has an Anonymous Benefactor whose generosity has greatly enhanced our feature film collection. Our mystery donor has donated thousands of DVDs and VHS tapes along with funds toward the purchase of new and replacement films. In fact, the Anonymous DVD Donor was the subject of a newspaper article in The Progress-Index: "The Richard Bland Library has a secret admirer!" — Susan Robertston, 10/2/05.

Librarian Irene Handy retrieves donated DVDs from the library bookdrop.	In December 2007, The Anonymous Donor treated librarians to Outback gift cards, student workers (not pictured) to Cross pens, and Captain Roland Parsons to a portable DVD player.