Spring/Summer 2025 Friends' Update
Multiple Event Recaps, New Supporter Merch, Garden Project News & More
Sober Solstice Greetings, Friends,
As Spring turns to Summer this year, our organization has much to celebrate! The season’s fundraisers were very successful, thanks to our great, supportive community. Our membership is growing. We have cool new merch. Most remarkably, we have exceeded the initial goal of our capital campaign for the Garden Project and are now eyeing some exciting stretch goals as we await construction of the new gathering area. Read on for more details about all of these exciting goings-on.
At the same time, due to federal funding cuts and tight budgets at all other levels of government, New Castle Public Library’s need for a vibrant and supportive Friends organization is only growing. Grants are becoming harder to get. State and local funding is likely to remain flat over the next couple years. And the library’s core costs - for the ‘boring stuff’ like keeping the lights on and providing staff decent wages and benefits - keep going up.
Cutbacks at the National Endowment for the Humanities, for example, have forced Delaware Humanities to end the Speaker program that has provided fascinating lecturers for our last three Annual Dinners, all but cease its grantmaking, and lay off staff. This may endanger our library’s Prime Time Reading program, which has been funded by DE Humanities grants.
At the end of March, the entire staff of the federal Institute for Museum and Library Sciences was put on administrative leave, halting all of its grant-making and severely limiting libraries’ access to public information and publication data from federal sources. According to the American Library Association (ALA), this is impacting all libraries, even as challenges to this action play out.
In this climate, it is essential for the Friends to remember both of our most important roles: as supporters, and as advocates.
Your support as a Friend (and that of every book sale patron and raffle entrant) allows us to meet as many of the library’s needs as we can. Volunteers also show support when they give of their time to help our fundraisers or other events succeed. If you can, please also consider supporting Delaware Humanities in their current campaign to maintain enough funding for certain essential programs (like Prime Time).
Advocacy is also crucial right now. Please let your elected officials, especially at the county, state and federal level, know how much you value the library and the programs that fund its services. You can check the ALA website for specific ongoing campaigns and other ways to get involved. Spread the word that public libraries are essential, and a quintessentially American institution that connect our communities and help millions to learn and grow.
When it comes to resources for our library, we can always use more: more funds, more hands, more ideas - and more voices raised in support. Thanks for yours. Together we can make sure NCPL continues to thrive.
Have a wonderful Summer.
Sincerely,
Matt Alexander
NCLF President
P.S. If you’d like to get more involved with the Friends, as an event volunteer, book sorter, raffle builder, web/social helper, board member - or whatever you have to contribute - just reach out!
"I have found the most valuable thing in my wallet
is my library card."
Laura Bush
WELCOME to the New Members getting this Update for the first time - thanks for being a Friend and supporter!
If you’re reading this as a non-member subscriber, or received it as a Forward, you can still join for the rest of 2025 using the button below (which will take you to our website).
If you need to check your current member status, please reach out to NCLF Membership Chair Irma B. by email. Thanks!
Garden Project Success, Next Steps
Where We Are & How We Got Here
At the end of the Garden Gala at the library on April 26, NCLF president and Garden Project lead Matt A. announced that the Friends had officially surpassed the fundraising target for the Capital Campaign. A new, accessible gathering area will be coming to New Castle Public Library’s rear ‘Children’s Garden’ this Summer!
By achieving the goal by June 1, the Friends met the conditions to receive the $25K grant pledged to the project in December by the Welfare Foundation.
The Friends are so grateful for every contribution that helped get us to this milestone, including:
a $10K grant from the Crestlea Foundation,
a $5K grant from the Trustees of the New Castle Common,
Sponsorship support ($1K+) from the New Castle Hundred Lions Club and Arasapha Garden Club,
Major contributions ($500+) from over a dozen individuals, and
Gifts ranging from $3 to $250 from scores of library lovers, from here in New Castle to as far away as Florida and Massachusetts.
Our original Campaign Goal - covering design and construction, plus a small cushion - was $65.5K… All told, we have now raised just shy of $75K!
Enormous thanks to everyone who believed in the vision for a more useful and accessible garden and helped by contributing or spreading the word, including everyone who attended the Gala!
For supporting the Gala, we owe special thanks to New Castle businesses Zollie’s Jazz Cucina, The Sycamore Wine Bar and Jessop’s Tavern & Colonial Restaurant. They enabled us to provide an amazing food, dessert and drink selection that got rave reviews! And the evening’s special raffles and silent auctions were only possible thanks to these wonderful neighbors:
Cynthia and Mark Batty,
Barbara Pettinella and Suzette Singh of Spellbound Curiosities,
Rodney Pratt and the Opera House Arts & Antiques,
Linda Emerick,
Dwayne Foster and The Mercury B&B,
Deborah Harper and Read House & Gardens,
Michael Alfree,
Gillian Barthe of Gigi & Cat,
NCCP and the Day in Old New Castle committee,
Jennifer and Dustin Ramsdell,
DM Paul Wildenhain, and
Folk artist Eunice LaFate.
Some more far-flung institutions also helped to fill out the evening’s swanky offerings, including:
Urban Air Adventure Park (Christiana location),
Hotel DuPont, and
The Gala raised over $9K for the campaign, allowing us to declare “success” that evening. Thanks to Gala committee Jenn Ramsdell, Anna Marie Trotman, Susan Swansburg and Julie Kirk for putting together a great night. Huge thanks to the wonderful volunteers who helped make the event work. And thank you to everyone who attended - and looked fantastic!
Unfortunately, organizers were too busy to take many photos during the event. If you attended and got some fun photos you’d be willing to share with the Friends, we’d be so grateful. Please just reach out, if so.
Where the Garden Project Goes from Here
It’s not too late to make an impact… we have S-t-r-e-t-c-h G-o-a-l-s!
The Friends are currently working with contractor DiSabatino Landscaping to plan construction, which is tentatively set to begin the last week of July. As expected, the cost of the project has risen a bit since the estimate we received last year. Fortunately, that increase was covered by the ‘cushion’ built into our original goal.
As we get construction under way, the Friends are looking ahead to making sure the renovated garden is a comfortable, usable, inviting space. To that end, we have several ideas that we are still working to flesh out.
Most importantly, a shade structure will be needed so that the garden can be comfortably used throughout the summer months. We are looking at large umbrellas and other options. Based on the size of the gathering area, this could be $8000 or more.
A ‘Children’s Garden’ should also have elements for children - and we want to include several interactive, musical installations with which kids can learn while enjoying the space. These can be up to $3000 each.
Finally, we will need funds to re-landscape and re-plant the garden, and then to maintain the renovated space.
As noted, the final forms of these stretch goals are still taking shape and we welcome your feedback as we develop them in tandem with the construction and re-landscaping timeline!
We’ve made amazing progress, but there is still work to do! To get involved by making a donation, purchasing Campaign merchandise, or spreading the word, please visit FriendsGarden.org.
Creating Your Own ‘Enchanted Garden’
The fizzy, sweet, tart and refreshing signature cocktail dubbed the ‘Enchanted Garden’ was a big hit among attendees at April’s Garden Gala… as was the ‘mocktail’ version for those who don’t drink spirits. Numerous patrons came back for the special libation several times!
The deep red concoction was created by board member Robert Wingle and recurrent volunteer Stuart Rice, based loosely on a drink from a book of fiction-inspired cocktails that Stu has been experimenting with. The hint of mint was Anna Marie’s zesty idea for a garnish. The final product, which is easy to make, is effervescent and delicious - not syrupy or too sweet - and just as good as a mocktail.
Here’s how to enjoy this delightful drink with your Friends!
For each 6 ounce Serving, you will need:
2 oz Triple Sec
1 oz Vodka
0.5 oz Grenadine
1 oz Lemon Juice
~1.5 oz Seltzer
Mint Leaves
In a wine glass or Tom Collins glass, pour the Triple Sec, Vodka, Grenadine and Juice over plenty of ice. Then add the seltzer and a leaf or two of mint, stir vigorously, and enjoy!
Mocktail Variation
For the alcohol-free version, use non-alcoholic Triple Sec, leave out the Vodka, and add extra Seltzer.
NCLF “Merch Store” Now Open
More Ways to Show Support for Our Amazing Library
The ‘Library Garden for Everyone’ t-shirt and mug that debuted at the Garden Gala have been popular and supplies are getting low. Fortunately, our new t-shirt is now available online, at the Reference Desk, and at our events, alongside the ever-popular, heavy-duty NCLF Tote (of which we just ordered another run). The shirts and mug are also available online.
The New ‘I 🤍 my public library’ NCLF T-Shirts feature a design by NCPL librarian Nicole W. on the back (and our logo on the front chest). Those at the Reference Desk were made for the Friends by students at the Networks School for Employability Skills in the Christina School District. They are very cute and delightfully soft!
Garden Campaign shirts and mugs are also still available at the library, but only while supplies last. Once the on-hand supply of these is gone, they will only be available on our Bonfire store (see below), through the end of 2025.
Members’ $3 discount applies to all NCLF merch, at our events. We are not able to process member discounts online or at the Reference Desk at this time. Of course, every dollar raised goes to the Friends’ mission to support New Castle Public Library.
Two Ways To Get Supporter Gear All Year:
At the Reference Desk (Pick Up)
All four items are available at the library’s Reference Desk. Patrons there can pay cash, or make a digital payment on our website and show the receipt as proof of payment.From Our Store on Bonfire.com (Ships to You)
This is our actual Online Store, with additional products (with more coming soon) and product options (ie. styles, colors and sizes). Bonfire is a print-on-demand service that costs non-profits nothing to work with and provides back revenue from each sale.
Of course, all NCLF merchandise will remain available at our Book Sale & Raffle fundraising events (with discounts for members)… Hope to see you in some new Library Friends Supporter Gear!
Note: Items have been added to our website (NewCastleLibraryFriends.org) primarily as a means of paying by debit or credit while making a purchase at the Reference Desk. While it is possible to make a pre-purchase for pickup, the best way to ensure the item’s availability is to pay *at the Desk.*
Big Spring Events Boost Book Sales
NCLF’s first two Book Sale & Raffle fundraiser events for 2025 were at this year’s May Market and Separation Day. Each featured four witty and whimsical raffle offerings alongside hundreds or (for Separation Day) thousands of books, with Friendly volunteers to help shoppers find their faves.
This year’s May Market enjoyed a rain-free couple of days and, we were pleased to hear, became one of the most successful on record for Arasapha Garden Club! It was also a big success for the Friends, generating a new membership, lots of fun interactions between book lovers, and numerous sales of our garden campaign gear. Between books and raffle ticket sales (and that membership) NCLF raised over a thousand dollars.
Plans for the Separation Day Book Sale & Raffle on June 7 had to be scaled back in the week leading up to the event, due to the day’s less-than-helpful weather. Nonetheless, the Friends had thousands of new (to us) gently-used books and four of Jenn R.’s lovely, creative raffle prizes on display inside, and it was a great sale anyway.
It didn’t seem to matter that there was only one table of books on the street. That’s thanks largely to Friend and frequent volunteer Bill Dukes hanging out next to it (under our colorful tent) as a barker for the whole sale, drawing people in and letting them know we had more inside. Thanks Bill!
The Friends’ social media advertising also seems to be working. People were lined up outside the library even before the Sale opened at 9am, and the pace of shoppers and sales was steady throughout the event. Once again, some patrons remarked they were surprised to discover there was also a parade and festival going on in town.
In addition to making hundreds more booklovers happy - including kids, who still get free books - the Separation Day Sale raised nearly $2300!
Thank you so much to the wonderful volunteers who share their time, talents and charm to make these fundraisers fun for our patrons and successful for our organization! Separation Day helpers, be sure to check your email for a special ‘Thank-You’ from Susan.
Because of the stretch goals discussed in the Garden update above, the NCLF Board decided in May to continue allocating half of all book sale/raffle revenue to the Capital Campaign fund. So half of both the May Market and Separation Day totals will go to that project, while the rest will go into the Friends’ general fund for all of the other ways we continue to support NCPL.
Keeping the Raffle Rhythm Rolling
Raffles continue to be a big part of our success at book sale events, thanks to the many great people who contribute items, and to the vision of Raffles chair Jenn Ramsdell.
“I would like to extend gratitude to the neighbors and Friends in New Castle who continue to donate their beautiful treasures to be raffled off to benefit the library,” Jenn noted for this Update. “The most popular baskets tend to be those including food and wine, or are related to Historic New Castle.”
Jenn is very excited to put together offerings for Art on the Green as well as Winterfest in the later half of the year, and is gratefully accepting donations of items (in new or like new condition) such as:
large baskets
bottles of wine or other spirits
wine glasses or pint glasses
gourmet non-perishable goods (jams, honeys, mustards, etc)
platters, serving dishes
pottery
Christmas decorations
bakeware and baking accessories
items related to New Castle's history
gift cards for local restaurants or businesses
If you would like to contribute an item or experience to be raffled off at either of those two events later in the year, please email Jenn directly.
New Displays Help Promote Programs
Check out the new digital display screens recently provided for the Library by its Friends! Located at the front and rear entrances, these displays will help connect patrons with upcoming events (including Friends events!), important announcements and other helpful info.
In ways big and small, NCLF is proud to support our library and do what we can to enhance the experience of its patrons!
NCLF Meetings & Events
Check out the calendar for this year, below. Please let us know if you have an idea for a fun event!
August 13 (Wed.) - Board Meeting, 7pm
September 27 (Sat.) - Art on the Green Book Sale & Raffle
November 19 (Wed.) - Board Meeting, 7pm
December 13 - Winter Festival & Market Book Sale & Raffle
Thanks for reading, and for your support of New Castle Public Library!
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