Happy New Year! We have some important updates to ring in 2026, including a new schedule plus a special message from the Friends of BCSC to double the impact of your donation.
New Hours for Buncombe County Public Libraries
In case you missed it, Buncombe County Public Libraries is ringing the new year with new library hours, adding 36 operating hours across the library system. These changes impact open hours at Buncombe County Special Collections, located in the lower level of Pack Memorial Library.
BCSC’s new hours are Tuesday–Friday 9am–5pm and Mondays by appointment.
Please note that walk-ins are welcome Tuesdays–Fridays, but appointments are still required to visit BCSC on Mondays only—be sure to schedule your visit by 5pm the previous Friday if you plan to visit on a Monday. You can schedule by calling 828-250-4740 or emailing packnc@buncombenc.gov.
Learn more about planning a research trip to BCSC here. Thank you for planning your visit accordingly!
Please also be aware that all BCPL locations will be closed for federal holidays on New Year’s Day (Thursday, January 1) and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Monday, January 19).
Announcing: January Gift-Matching Fundraiser for the Friends of BCSC!
Thanks to generous support from local author Bruce Johnson and his wife, Leigh Ann Hamon, supporters of the Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections have an opportunity to double their impact through a matching funds donation challenge!
Through the end of January, every donation to the nonprofit Friends of Buncombe County Special Collections will be matched dollar-for-dollar (up to $5,000), doubling the value of each gift.
Through the support of the Friends, BCSC can embark on big projects, offering all the residents of WNC free access to exhibits and programming highlighting our region’s history. This year, thanks to your support, we launched Come Hell or High Water, a community memory project documenting the region’s experiences and reflections following Helene.
In 2026, your gift will support the Black Montford and Stumptown Digital Archive, exhibits about the history of these neighborhoods and the Southside community—each deeply impacted by urban renewal—as well as the new Leicester History Project and Century Farms History Project that will document the legacies of rural Buncombe County communities.
Researchers, students, educators, and local residents rely on BCSC to preserve materials, learn about local history, and ensure public access to our shared heritage.
Donations to the Friends of BCSC stretch resources further, increase accessibility, and provide more opportunities for community collaborations, ensuring that everyone is included in Buncombe County’s story.
This donation matching opportunity is only available through the end of January 2026. Donating now ensures your gift has the greatest possible impact.
Every contribution, no matter the size, plays a role in protecting Buncombe County’s history. By participating in this gift-matching opportunity, you can double your support for this vital community resource, preserving the stories that connect us all.
Give today at PayPal.me/friendsbcsc to double your impact and help sustain BCSC throughout 2026!
Thank you!
Catherine Amos, Chair, Friends of BCSC
Emily Cadmus, Vice Chair, Friends of BCSC
Dee Dee Allan, Treasurer, Friends of BCSC
Katherine Cutshall, Collections Manager, BCSC
