Fall 2024 Friends' Update
Upcoming Events, incl. the Return of the Preview Sale, Volunteer Opportunities and (just a bit) more...
Fall Greetings, Friends,
Given the exciting Extra Update we sent out last month, we’ll keep this one extra expeditious.
Please read on for more great news and some exciting upcoming events for members. These include a Holiday Wrapping Party on Friday, November 22, and - if enough people RSVP - a member/volunteer appreciation event the night before Winter Festival, which will feature the ‘Return of the Preview Sale’ in our pop-up holiday book shop! There’s more info on both events and others below.
Because there are multiple events and activities listed below, if you have any questions or want to respond to more than one item with a single email, just reply to this message. I hope you’ll consider coming out to have some fun with us if you can!
Either way, have a wonderful holiday season and end of the year.
Best,
Matt Alexander, President
Dates to Save! … Upcoming NCLF Events
There’s still much fun (and also important work) to come before 2024 is done!
November 22 (Fri), 6pm-8pm - Friends’ Holiday Wrapping Party at the Library
This is a members-only event in the Community Room (newbies welcome to join at the door). We’ll wrap gifts to be given away at Winter Festival and help to price items for the library’s ‘Anne’s Attic’ sale (not required to come have a good time). We’ll also enjoy refreshments like tea, wine, Eggnog and tasty home-made snacks, plus holiday music and fun, including special activities for us from Library Director Julie Kirk. You can also bring your own tough-to-wrap gifts for some help! Please RSVP either on Facebook or via email.
December 3 (Tue) - Giving Tuesday (all-day online fundraiser)
This will be the official launch date of the capital campaign to raise funds for the rear garden. We’ll be fundraising with DelawareGives, who have generously decided to feature our Garden Project campaign during the event. Learn more at GivingTuesday.org, tell your lowercase-f friends, and please keep an eye out for future messages to help spread the word about this drive!
December 13 (Fri), 6-8pm - Member & Volunteer Appreciation Event at the Library, “after hours.”
After multiple requests in recent years, it’s the ‘Return of the Preview Sale’ for members only, in the cozy conference room of the library, the night before our ‘Pop-up Holiday Book Shop’ opens to the public during Winter Festival. We’ll have light fare, drinks and a massive selection of fresh books to browse! (This replaces a previously-previewed fundraiser, which will be held in the Spring.)
[**TENTATIVE - This event on 12/13 will only be held if there is interest - if you’d like to join us, please register here. Anyone who registers will be contacted with confirmation once the threshold is met, or not.]
December 14 (Sat) - Winter Festival & Market Book Sale and Raffle
A ‘full collection’ book sale in the Library’s Conference Room during the Winter Festival & Market, which will feature a dozen other vendors, a bake sale, special holiday activities and loads of festive fun! If you’d like to volunteer to help with the Friends’ book sale, please email Susan.
Breakfast with Bluey was a Blast!
Hundreds of happy kids, many in themed apparel, filed through the library in just under two hours on Saturday, October 19. The theme? Bluey! Bluey’s arrival was greeted by cheers and a sudden freeze, as scores of children around the door wanted to be the first to greet the beloved Australian TV character.
From 10:30 until about 12pm, a line of young families stretched from the library’s front door on Delaware Street, around the corner and down 5th Street. At several points, it reached all the way down the block, nearly to South Street! Some families grew restless, and a few left the line, but few wanted to let thier kids miss a chance to meet (and get a photo op) with Bluey.
The scene was a bit mad at times, to be sure, but with the help of Friends and other volunteers (including one very talented and professional young lady), library staff - and the talented, impeccably calm actress portraying Bluey - handled the potentially overwhelming situation with aplomb.
Every family that stayed in line got the chance to meet Bluey, get a selfie (or five), and enjoy side-activities like a balloon challenge and blacklight dance party. Of course, everyone also enjoyed Breakfast, which the Friends were happy to provide in the form of bagels, cereal bars, juice, fruit and other healthy treats.
After the throngs of children had cleared out, staff and a few Friends took their own opportunity to snag a few shots with the sweet blue doggo, as seen in the last pic below. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this wonderful event!
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities at the Library
Our library can do even more with your support. Please read on to learn about some of these great programs and the ways in which Friends can help out!
DIY Citrus Garland (Teen/Adult Craft Program at Library)
- Wednesday, Nov. 20, 6:30pm.
Staff need help drying fruit ahead of this program on Nov. 20. Volunteers can do so in their own home, at their leisure. Teen Librarian Nicole Worth will provide the fruit but staff are open to donations as well. Lemons, limes, oranges, even grapefruit are welcome. To get involved, please email Nicole (time- and space-limited.
Winter Festival & Market (The Big One, coinciding with HNC Spirit of Christmas)
- Saturday, Dec. 14, 10am-4pm
The WFM has, in just a few years, become the biggest event on the library’s calendar by far. With 20+ vendors and thousands of people coming through, it takes a lot of work to get things set up and then keep them running smoothly so that everyone can have a great time (including us!). It is an opportunity for our wonderful library to really shine brightly in the community.
To that end, there are a number of volunteer needs for this event:
On Friday, Dec. 13, staff are seeking 1-2 people to help with set up from 3-5pm (this will involve moving tables and chairs).
On Saturday, Dec. 14, from 9am-4pm, the library invites folks to volunteer in shifts of 2-3 hours. Available assignments include:
Setting up (9-10am only),
Working the bake sale table,
Selling hot dogs (11am-2pm only),
Working Anne’s Attic gently-used holiday item sale,
Greeters,
Craft area monitoring,
Clean up (staring ~4pm) to move tables and chairs, put everything away
To get involved with the WFM activities above, please reach out to Julie by email.
Garden Project Capital Campaign Launching on Tuesday, December 3
On Thursday, November 14, the Friends gained the approval of the Historic Area Commission to move ahead with our plans to build a new gathering area in the rear garden of New Castle Public Library!
We hope you enjoyed the project preview in the Friends’ Update Extra last month. Other than the HAC update, there’s no more to say for now...
That’s because there is a special, dedicated announcement coming very soon - please look out for it in your inbox and mailbox!
(If you would like to receive the campaign mailing and are not sure you’re on our physical mailing list, please reach out to us by email.)
It’s “Beginning to Look a Lot Like” Holiday Raffle Time!
Fresh off an amazing set of prizes that were a huge hit at Art on the Green (raising the majority of revenue on that drizzly day), Raffles chair Jenn Ramsdell is already thinking about the prizes we’ll have for this year’s Winter Festival & Market book sale.
“For the Winter Market baskets I want to highlight the holidays, being cozy, family time, and food,” she explained.
For Friends who may be able to help out, Jenn has offered a list of items sought (in good condition with minimal (or no) wear and tear):
baskets of any size (but especially large baskets) - and similar large, attractive containers, especially with seasonal themes,
unused candles,
unusual or ornate Christmas ornaments,
gift cards for local venues, shops, restaurants, or artisans,
fancy oils, spices, honey, and syrups,
cocktail/wine/beer related items, and
knickknacks, tchotchkes, and other small, decorative items
Like book donations, baskets and boxed items may be left for the Friends by the elevator at the library. To arrange a donation of items that should not be left out - or if you’d like to help Jenn with Raffles - please contact her by email. Thanks!
Items that cannot be used in NCLF Raffles will be donated to Arasapha’s Donated Treasures Sale at May Market 2025.
Increase Your Impact: Join the Board
At its January meeting, the NCLF board will prepare a slate of nominees for members to vote on at our 2025 Annual Membership Meeting. (That will be on February 12 - another date to save!)
Board service is rewarding and fun. We meet six times per year (including attending the annual membership meeting), and certain committees/teams have projects that they work on throughout the year, or at certain times - such as book sales, Day in Old New Castle, etc.
We understand people have different interests and capacities, and joining the board does not mean you have to become a volunteer at every event or be involved with all of the many things NCLF has going on. We need at-large members who can contribute insight and wisdom at our meetings just as much as project leads and committee chairs!
No special experience is needed - just a desire to serve our library community, decent judgment, and an interest in engaging with like-minded Friends as we plan and execute NCLF’s events and activities… We want new ideas and perspectives as we look at new opportunities to have fun in our community while supporting New Castle Public Library.
If you or a Friend you know is interested in learning more, please reach out to any board member - including me (Matt), personally. We’d love to have you.
Thanks for being a Friend and for considering joining our leadership team!
Thanks for reading, and for your support of New Castle Public Library!
