Post on 26-Jul-2016
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Message from the outgoing President:
I cannot believe 4 years have already passed since I was
elected president of the Friends! Since then, the Friends
have accomplished so much for our library through the
funding from our book sales. The library now has new oak
tables and chairs, outdoor lighting for the handicap ramp, a
new automatic handicap door, a new book drop box,
renovated bathroom, improvements to the exterior of the
library, repairs to the elevator, new lightweight folding
tables for the children’s room, new websites for both the
Friends and the library, and continuous funding for adult
and children’s programs throughout the year.
This was accomplished due to the hard work of the
volunteers from our community who work diligently all
year on our “fabulous and fantastic” book sale held twice a
year. I am sure this success will continue under the
direction of our newly elected President Emily Streeter and
our Board members. I plan on staying around as co-chair
(with Jane Crutchfield) of the book sales and volunteering
as much as I can.
The Friends of the Library is a great organization to get
involved in our town. If you have some spare time, please
come to one of our meetings, which are held on the third
Thursday of the month at 6:30 PM downstairs in our library.
We would love to have new members join our organization
to continue supporting the library and all of its programs.
Remember that the library is not just about books, but a
place to socialize and network with our friends and
neighbors in our community.
Thank you,
Paul Geoffroy,
Former President of the Friends of Clapp Memorial Library
Newsletter 2015
• Message from the President(s) •
Message from the incoming President:
Hello Friends! As the new incoming President I would
like to thank Paul Geoffroy for all his hard work and
dedication during his term. Paul has done a wonderful job
and it is a comfort to know that he will remain a very
active member of our organization. I am sure he will
continue to be a valued resource to our board.
This is always a fun time of the year for the Friends.
Another very successful fall book sale has been put to bed,
and we are looking forward to our evening of wine tasting
in February. This year marks the fifth time we have held
this event and it just gets better with every year. It’s a fun
night filled with wine, cheese, chocolate, music, and
Friends. We hope to see you all there!
This time of year also just happens to be my very favorite.
I love the crisp air, falling leaves, and the excitement of
snow in not too distant future (until it comes time to
shovel!) The chilly weather is also very conducive to
snuggling under the blankets and enjoying a good book.
The Library is full of great options and did you know you
can even borrow a kindle or a nook? With an even more
extensive collection of e-books you are sure to find
something you’ll love. One of my favorites to re-read this
time of year is Little Women (if you are looking for a
suggestion!)
Enjoy the fall everyone!
Emily Streeter
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•Letter from the Director•
Hello Friends,
Fall has been busy and productive here at the Clapp Memorial Library. We completed the first
extremely successful Belchertown Reads town-wide reading program centered on the book,
“The Worst Hard Time” by Timothy Egan. The special programs were wonderful and well
attended, and copies of the book circulated nearly 300 times! It was great to see so much
community interest in a chapter of our country’s history that is still so relevant today.
If you’ve noticed the beautiful new book drop in front of the Library, you should know that
thanks goes to the Friends of the Library. The old book drop was at the end of its useful life. We are very fortunate
that the Friends stepped up to provide funding for the purchase of the book drop. Our new drop is bigger, better, and
much more attractive than its predecessor. Thank you, Friends! And while we’re on the topic of thanking the Friends,
hopefully you’ve had time to view our wonderful new website, also funded by the Friends of the Library. The new
design is streamlined and updated to improve your user experience and make it easier to find what you’re looking for.
We think it looks great! Please check it out and if you need a reading suggestion or two, check out the “Staff Picks”.
You’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy.
As we enter year two of our federally funded “Service to Tweens and Teens” grant administered by the
Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, we’re pleased to be offering more and more fun, interesting, and
relevant programs for this age group. The Teen Advisory Board (TAB) continues to meet to help plan programs and
services of interest to teens. TAB meetings are monthly and new members are always welcome. Call the Library for
more information.
Remember how you loved to color as a child? Why not try it again? Join us for a fun, relaxing, non-judgmental
evening of coloring. It’s a great way to de-stress as the holiday onslaught begins. Coloring pages and all supplies will
be provided. The program takes place Thursday, December 3 from 7pm-8pm.
Hope to see you in the Library.
Sheila McCormick, Library Director
19 South Main Street
P.O. Box 627
Belchertown, MA
01007-0627
413-323-0417 VOICE
413-323-0453 FAX
clapp@cwmars.org
www.clapplibrary.org
Regular Hours: Monday 10 – 6 Tuesday 10 – 7
Wednesday 10 – 7 Thursday 10 – 7
Friday 10 – 6 Saturday 9 – 1
Closed Sunday
Staff:
Library Director – Sheila McCormick
Head of Circulation and Reference –
Ann Kuchieski
Head of Automated Library Services –
Nancy Bronner
Head of Children’s Services – Jennifer
Whitehead
Library Technicians – Keri Warfield and
Mary Lak Senecal
Library Pages – Erin Finn, Erika Graves
and Emily Pope
Custodian - Greg Dillard
Board of Trustees:
President – Barbara Sullivan
Vice President – Christine Walker
Treasurer – Kevin Weiss
Secretary – Denise Smith
Frank Lomanno
William S. McClure
Ex-officio member – Ronald Aponte
Friends’ Board Members:
President: Emily Streeter
Vice President: Brian Mailhot
Recording Secretary: Jeann Leblond Treasurer: Terry Rothwell
Membership Secretary: Xian Min Zhuo
Newsletter Editor: Aimee Henderson
Publicity Chair: Open
Book Sale Chair: Jane Crutchfield & Paul
Geoffroy
Book Sale Committee Members: Mauri
Korhonen, Deb Geoffroy, Ann Maziarz, Kim
Croke, Nena Walker, Terry Rothwell, Kate
Bolmarch, Deb Beauchamp, Nancy Searle,. Lisa Aiken and Polly Lindhult Volunteer Coordinator: Open
Book Sale Volunteer Coordinator: Polly
Lindhult
Technology Chairs: Emily Streeter & Brian
Mailhot
Summer Reading Program Coordinator:
Emily Streeter
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Left to right - Min, membership secretary; Jeanne, our NEW recording
secretary; Terry, treasurer; Brian, Vice President; Emily, our NEW President
A huge Thank you to
all the Bakers in
Belchertown who donated
baked goods for our sale
this year. There were 2
large tables full (the most
donations we have ever
had) and we had a record
breaking bake sale! Thank
you to everyone who
stopped and made a
purchase. You were all so
generous and we truly
appreciate your
support. The goodies were
just gorgeous and those
who tried them right after
buying, said they were
delicious!! A heartfelt
thank you to Colleen
Toothill-Berte for manning
the table during an
unbelievably cold, windy
day and to Mike Holfer who
brought a wonderful winter
coat to help me stay
warm! Also, thank you to
Mauri Korhonen and Brian
Mailhot for manning the
table when we needed to go
in and thaw. It truly was a
team effort and we look
forward to seeing what
delicious goodies are in
store for our next sale.
Thank you all and see you in
the Spring!
Terry Rothwell
Treasurer
• Friends of Clapp hold annual meeting •
The Friends of Clapp Memorial Library held their annual membership meeting
and board elections on October 23rd at the Library. Outgoing President Paul
Geoffroy, on behalf of the Friends, offered thanks and praise to all those who
volunteered and helped to make this past year successful. He highlighted the
amount of work that goes into the biannual book sales. By his calculations,
each sale takes over one hundred volunteers and more than two thousand
hours to accomplish. These dedicated volunteers allow the Friends to support
the many worthwhile programs and services provided by the Clapp Memorial
Library. Geoffroy also summarized items that were provided by the Friends
throughout the past year including:
The new book drop box
Passes to area museums
New dies for the Ellison machine
New CD player for story hour
Carpet cleaning
Wireless scanners for circulation desk
Chairs for the circulation desk
Storage cabinet for custodial supplies
Furnace repair
Elevator repair and inspection
Web page design and domain renewal
Prize baskets for adult summer reading program
Children’s summer reading program
Books for the summer reading program
Raffle prizes for the children’s summer reading program
“A Super Reader Lives Here” signs
Easels for book display
Teen programs
Adult programs Friends of Clapp Library hold annual meeting
Two board positions were open for election; President and Recording
Secretary. All Friends members were eligible for nomination. Emily Streeter
was nominated for President and Jeann Leblond was nominated for Recording
Secretary. Both were elected by a unanimous vote. Incoming board members
will serve a two year term. The Friends are always looking for new members.
The Friends meet every third Thursday of the month. If you are interested in
becoming involved with the Friends please visit
friendsofclapplibrary.org/membership for more information.
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Who or what got you started with the Friends?
I was sitting next to Jane Crutchfield at a Hands Across the
Valley Quilt Guild meeting and mentioned that I thought the
Friends of the Library book sale was the best I’d ever
seen. Jane signed me up with the Friends right then and
there!
How long have you been involved with
the Friends/Library?
Off and on for about 20 years.
What is your favorite part of being a Friend?
I love being involved with the book sale. Seeing one of the
rooms’ full of donated children’s books makes me smile. It
makes the kids happy too!
What would you say to someone thinking about joining
the Friends?
It is a great way to support such a “gem” of a library.
What was the last book you read, and who is one of your
favorite authors and why?
I must be a fickle person because my favorite author
changes. At the moment, my favorite book is A Man Apart by
Peter Forbes and Helen Whyrow.
Thank You Volunteers!
A big thank you to all the volunteers that make the
book sales a huge success, we couldn't have done it
without you! We had about 90 different volunteers
help with the fall book sale, so thanks to those that
pick up books, sort, set up, cashier, break down, and
haul out the leftover books!
Polly
Book Sale Volunteer Coordinator
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• We are ready for spring! •
For many of our patrons it’s hard to believe that after every book sale we empty out the basement completely, but we
really do! Here you can see the empty shelves ready and waiting to be restocked. We have already started to accept book
donations for our spring book sale so please keep them coming! Book donations can be brought to the Library when it is
open. For large quantities, pick up service may be arranged. Please call the Library (413-323-0417, ext. 1) with any
questions.
We are currently accepting donations from:
Estate Sales
Tag Sales
Moving
Spring Cleaning
Other Libraries
School/Office Closings
AND we take more than just books:
DVDs
Books on Tape
Music CDs
Comic Books
Hobby Magazines
Postcards
Ephemera
We can provide a tax donation form, upon request. At this time, we will no longer accept donations of the following items:
Records (LPs and 45s);
Cassette Audio Tapes (except books-on-tape);
Video Tapes;
Encyclopedias *over 5 years old*;
Reader's Digest Condensed Books;
News Magazines, including National Geographic.
If you have these items to donate, please consider other non-profit organizations,
recycling or Freecycling.
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Left: The youngest book sale shopper - one month old!
Bottom left: Tom Brady fan shops our book sale.
Background: Never too young to learn a foreign language
These kids are the future of our community. I want
them to grow up loving this book sale and our
library. I want them to value what it offers to our
community and beyond. And maybe, one day, they
will step up and volunteer at this library or another
library in another community.
The Friends book sale is a never ending, continuous
labor of love. The work does not happen a month or
two before the sale - the work is ongoing all year
round. A huge 'Thank You' goes out to the volunteers
whether they be clerks, carry outs, scheduler, floor
walkers, book finders, treasurer, set up and cleanup
crews, shelvers, and book pricers. ALL OF US create
an event, twice a year, known as The Friends'
Fabulous and Fantastic Book Sale - and it truly is.
Jane Crutchfield
At the Book Sale
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You’re a Friend, but are you a Facebook Friend?
In case you don’t know, the Friends
have a Facebook page, for keeping in
touch with the Friends of Clapp
Memorial Library and their friends.
Please search while in Facebook and
Follow and Like our page, so you can
get updates on your news feed, and
keep in touch and share the
information that is regularly posted
about Friends and Library events. It’s
one more way for you to keep in touch
and be a good Friend!
• What a beautiful new book return! •
That and so many similar comments have been heard recently as
our patrons enter the main doors of the library, passing by the
brand new root-beer colored book drop box on the front lawn.
After more than fifteen years of service the old yellow book
return had to be replaced. It was rusted, dented, and - at times -
didn't open. 'The books went in and didn't come out' to
paraphrase a commercial saying. When asked about the worst
item ever found in there, Ann Kuchieski would only mention
one event: "Gail Hammel and I went to get the books. She
opened the box, screamed and started running away so of course
I screamed and ran away too. It was a live mouse so we had to
get someone to come and get it out."
Shelia McCormick spent considerable time researching the best
new book return for our harsh New England conditions. Made
of one piece of aircraft grade aluminum, this unit is fire
suppressant, theft deterrent, and weather resistant. This new unit
is bigger and has a raised internal spring-loaded bottom that
keeps the books from dropping all the way down onto a solid
surface thus helping to protect the returns.
Mike Hofler and Greg Dillard helped install the new unit. We
also need to give a special thanks to John Monsat of Monsat
Concrete here in Belchertown (413-626-1076) for donating the
concrete and labor to pour the new base.
For our patrons: This is an after-hours book return only. When
the library is open, this return is closed and visa-versa. And,
unlike the limitations that other libraries might impose, you can
return anything borrowed from the library into this return
EXCEPT e-readers (Nook, Kindle), even DVD's from other
libraries.
Mike Hofler
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19 S. Main St.
P.O. Bo x 627
Belchertown, MA 01007-0627
www.friendsofclapplibrary.org
www.clapplibrary.org
clapp@cwmars.org
_______ Individual $10.00
_______ Family $20.00
_______ Patron $35.00
_______ Business $50.00
If you would like to volunteer please place a mark in a box below:
Book sale (Spring/Fall)
Tag Sale (May)
Summer Reading Program
Belchertown Fair
Bake Sales (Fall/May)
Any
The Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library is a non-profit organization.
Donations and memberships are tax-deductible. FOCML memberships and
donations are used to support library programs and purchase books,
magazines, computer software, music CDs, DVDs, furnishings, and
equipment.
Please send your donation to: The Friends of the Clapp Memorial Library
P.O. Box 627 Belchertown, MA 01007
Name(s):*
1. ___________________________________________________
__________________
2. ___________________________________________________
__________________
3. ___________________________________________________
__________________
4. ___________________________________________________
__________________
5. ___________________________________________________
__________________
Address: P.O. Box _________ Apt. #:__________
Street:__________________________________
Town:__________________________________
State:____________ Zip Code:_______________
Telephone: ______________________________
Email: __________________________________
(Please print CLEARLY)
*For a family or patron membership, list your spouse and all family
members, under the age of 18, that live at the address noted.