By Virginia Volkman, Library Director
Sedona AZ (November 13, 2012) – The days leading up to Thanksgiving have been busy at Sedona Public Library, and we have much to be thankful for.
November 11 was Mitzvah Day, and seven volunteers worked in the Children’s Room cleaning books and bookshelves, and generally giving the room and its contents a fall cleaning. We are thankful for the time they gave and the sparkle they created.
During that same time, members of the Friends of the Library worked to decorate the Library for the Festival of Wreaths Preview Gala. The wreaths and other donated artistic creations were priced and placed throughout the building. Fifty raffle items were situated, and refreshments were set up. We are thankful to the Gala sponsors who funded the event, and the restaurants and businesses that were responsible for the fabulous appetizers and beverages.
When the doors opened for the Gala, people hurried to select and purchase their favorite wreaths, but left them in place for the rest of the community to view through November 17. The hundreds of people in attendance gave generously to purchase raffle tickets, and the winners went home with prizes generously donated by businesses and individuals throughout the Sedona area.
Though the Gala is over, the Festival continues, and you still have time to select a wreath. About one-third of the 125 wreaths were sold during the Gala, but many more remain. The silent auction for artist-created ornaments closes at 3 p.m. on Friday, November 16.
Sedona Public Library is a private, 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation. Without annual support from the Friends, the Library would be financially hampered. Their all-volunteer Board of Directors is dedicated to seeing that the maximum amount of your contribution goes directly to benefitting the Library. We are so very thankful for the Friends’ support. All of us associated with the Library would like to extend a special thank you to San Dee Kinnen, the Festival Chair, and to Charlene Lipka, President of the Friends.
Our community has a beautiful library facility, well-stocked with books, magazines, newspapers, DVDs, and audiobooks, and offering computer access and space for community events. It was built with locally donated funds and labor. I’m very thankful for the donations of time and money that make the library the unique institution that it is.
Volunteers currently work 20,000 hours a year to maintain service both at the main library and SPL in the Village. That’s the equivalent of almost 10 full-time staff members. Among the jobs volunteers do are checking books in and out, issuing library cards, sorting and selling book donations, assisting patrons with computers, processing interlibrary loan items, organizing magazines and newspapers, shelving books, mending books, and putting plastic covers on new books.
Donations of money have ensured that the Library is able to maintain the building and buy new books and other items to check out. The City of Sedona, and Yavapai and Coconino Counties contribute funding for our daily operating costs. For these generous contributions and continued community support, I am truly grateful.