PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. — A local
nonprofit organization has been making strides in the development and
improvement of the Plattsburgh Public Library and has no intention of quitting.
The
Friends of the Plattsburgh Public Library — or simply the Friends — celebrated
25 years of supporting the library this past year and expect more successful
years to come.
The
Friends have a mission to promote the library and its programs by advocating
for public support, public use of the library and facilitating financial
support, according to Pat Loughlin, president of the Friends.
In
other words, “showing people that the library is more than just books,”
Loughlin said.
Loughlin
has been an active member of the Friends for 12 years and took on the position
of president about four years ago.
The
group became an official charitable organization five years ago and since has
continued to spread knowledge about what the library has to offer. They've been
trying to get the community involved by hosting a number of events and
fundraisers open to all members of the Plattsburgh community.
Events
such as their biannual book sale and dinners with guest speakers have been
extremely successful in providing money needed to replace old items with new,
updated ones and introducing the library with items it has never had before.
Book sales are usually successful but result in a surplus of unsold books.
Volunteers
from SUNY Plattsburgh take part in helping the Friends with their book sales by
packing up unsold books and transporting them into trucks to be taken to Better
World Books, a business that collects and sells books online to donate books
and promote literacy around the world.
“Recently
we've been using the EOP (educational opportunity program) from SUNY and that's
working out very well,” Loughlin said.
There
are usually five to eight volunteers ready to help out, according to Jonathan
Reid, assistant director of the EOP.
“We
put up a sign up sheet and let everybody know that it's going down,” Reid said.
Students
volunteer only an hour or two of their time but it really improves the
efficiency of the book sales.
Another
way the library supports local community members is by having dinners with
guest speakers such as local artists or authors. This gives locals a chance to
talk about their work and educate people about topics not all are familiar
with.
Events
aren't always about money but rather getting information out to the public
about what great facilities the library has to offer and recruiting new
members. Membership has been lacking in past years but the Friends have been
working very hard to encourage new members to join and spread the word about
the library and its events.
“We,
almost every year, fund summer programs for children” Kim Bailey, vice
president and treasurer of the Friends, said.
Over
the years, the Friends have done a lot in the children's room of the library,
according to Anne de la Chapelle, director of the library.
“They
(the Friends) are a part of our community outreach program,” Chapelle said.
“They come in and help with special projects and host events.”
The
library has started a community outreach program in hopes to get feedback and
suggestions from city members on how to improve the library.
The
Friends are vital when it comes to the efficiency and modernization of the
library. They recently replaced a 1970 version of their book check machine, a
machine that checks magnetization strips in books to ensure no one steal them,
with a new one. They also allocate $3,000 for the library to buy new and
best-selling books and new videos so the community has access to new and
desirable material.
“The
Friends paid for new LED lights in the director’s office,” Chapelle said. “And
that was really terrific.”
PSUC
student Haley Mooney, 19, enjoys going to the public library because some days
it helps clear her mind and focus.
“I
like walking to the public library because sometimes the school's is too noisy
and distracting,” Mooney said. “I also really like going to look at the art
work.”
The
Hale-Walter Art Gallery is located in the library and features four local
artists each year. Artists have a chance to showcase their art for a few months
out of the year and this is a great opportunity for many.
The
Friends work to support the public library, Plattsburgh as a community, and all
of its citizens. They have been a vital part of Plattsburgh's library for many
years and have an incredibly positive influence on the entire town.
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