Friends of the Gloversville Public Library

The theme for this year’s event is “Celebrating the Talents of Fulton County.” The gourmet brunch and silent auction will be held on Sunday, September 28, 2008. We hope to offer an expanded selection of both raffle baskets and auction items. Further details will be forthcoming in the next issue of News & Views. Save the date!

If you are interested in volunteering for this event, please let us know. We are looking for contributions of raffle baskets, silent auction items from local artists, and sponsorship donations. We will also need volunteers to assist at the auction and brunch. To donate a basket or auction item, contact Betsy Batchelor at 725-7625. For more information on sponsorship, contact Ellen Wood at 725-7029.

We look forward to seeing you at the brunch! Celebration Planning Committee

Betsy Batchelor, Lynn Kicinski and Ellen Wood Celebration Committee Members

History of the Friends
The Friends of the Gloversville Public Library were incorporated as a not-for-profit organization in 1974 to assist the library in its mission of serving this community. The Friends have more than 300 members, many of whom donate time as well as money, to help improve the Gloversville Public Library in many ways.

The Friends recognize that an excellent library is a cornerstone of our community that provides everyone with the opportunity to engage in life-long learning and to connect with the ideas of others from past to present. A quality library helps to attract new people and businesses to an area. Libraries preserve our past and are a tremendous resource for planning our future. So the Friends’ mission is simple: Raise funds and use them in any way possible to improve the collection and services of their library for the benefit of all community members.

The Friends have several fund-raisers throughout the year. On the third Thursday evening in May, they have their annual “Walk with the Friends for the Library.” Participants either make a personal donation or collect from their own sponsors and walk through downtown and on the Rail Trail to the arterial highway and back. Participants receive free T-shirts, sponsored by local businesses. The Friends hold two-day book sales in June and October. On the second day of the sale, baked goods are available for purchase also.

The Friends use the proceeds from these events to purchase various items to improve the collection, including books, videos, CDs, books-on-tape, and computer software. They also buy equipment for the library, such as book-trucks and portable air conditioners. They provide funding for remodeling projects, like new carpeting and horizontal blinds. The Friends’ donations to the Gloversville Public Library over the past five years have averaged more than $15,000 annually.

"This year the Friends of the Gloversville Public Library committed $10,000 to our library to help balance the annual budget,” says Gloversville Public Library’s Board President, Christine Pesses. “This donation would never have been possible if it were not for the members of the community. All of the donations, large and small, made through membership to the Friends and the support of fund-raisers, have accumulated into an amount that makes a significant difference in the quality of service our library provides. Our library could not exist without the continued support of the Friends and their membership. The Trustees thank the Friends from the bottom of our hearts for the many years of support that they have given our library."

The Friends provide special programs for people of all ages. Pre-School Story Time is popular with the little ones on Thursdays at 10:30, while school-age children participate in monthly craft activities on certain Saturdays. In 2006, the Friends hosted two family-oriented storytelling programs, and plan to sponsor similar events in the coming year. The Friends supply give-away children’s book boxes at local Laundromats and at the Nathan Littauer emergency room, to help promote reading. The Friends also maintain the rotating exhibits in the display case of the library’s lobby.

"The Friends are more than an auxiliary organization that assists the library with fund-raising,” says Barbara Madonna, Director of the Gloversville Public Library. “It is a dedicated group of individuals who understand that public libraries are a valuable asset to a community. Our Friends are a vibrant group who step up time and again to whatever project or challenge they are asked to help with. I cannot praise and thank them enough for their service to this library and this community."

To become a new member, simply make a contribution in any amount that you wish. Membership forms are available in the lobby of the library and on this website @ folmember.pdf. Members also can volunteer to help with their favorite activities. Most of the volunteer tasks require only an hour or two once or twice per year. Some volunteers bake pies to be sold at bake sales or cookies to be served as refreshments after the special programs. Others read at Pre-School Story Time. Some help to pull weeds, clean up the grounds, or plant flowers. Just a few hours here and there can really make a difference!

Members receive a newsletter, “News & Views” three times per year to keep them informed about the Friends’ contributions and any upcoming events at the Library. Everyone is welcome at the Friends’ meetings, which are held the first Thursday of the month, except for July, at 6:00 p.m. at the Gloversville Public Library. The annual meeting is held in September on the first Thursday after Labor Day at 6:00 p.m., followed by a brief monthly meeting.

So get involved in making a difference in your community and come see how the Friends help to make the Gloversville Public Library an exemplary institution. Become a Friend and encourage your friends to become Friends!