Back to Table of Contents

Beverly High School - Fundraising for the Library!
By Barbara Fecteau, Library Media Specialist

As the Beverly High School librarian, I am responsible for buying books that specifically connect with the curriculum. Through donations I am able to supplement the fiction titles. However, when one of my student library aides, Amanda Lozada, asked me if I ever considered starting a collection of graphic novels, I told her that while I love them, I didn't have the money to buy any. Two other library aides, Laura Trowt and Margery Luangrath, asked if I would buy graphic novels if I had the money. I told them I would. Later that day someone put a permission slip under my nose with the words "bake sale" on it and I happily signed it.

These girls, along with Nicole Greco, Hannah Howard, Britney Smith, Vanessa Valdes and Chelsea Webster coordinated, baked for and ran two bakes sales that raised nearly $200 for the purchase of graphic novels.

Bake sales happen all the time at the high school and fundraising by students is the norm. What stands out about this instance is that these students weren't doing it for a club or an organization; they weren't doing it to get new uniforms or to fund a trip. These girls love books and wanted to make the type of books they love available to their fellow students. The end result is a collection of a dozen books that continues to grow. Other students, seeing that the library has made a place for graphic novels, are making recommendations and donating their own books.

Dottie Lee Patch, School Librarian at Spofford Pond School in Boxford, and artist, recently conducted an after school children's program at the Manchester Public Library for Mother's Day. The attending children were taught how to make a delightful origami note holder, note pad and swan as a gift for Mother's Day.
The new coordinator of the North Shore Community College Lynn Campus Library is Carolyn Johnson. Carolyn comes to us via Oakland, California and, before moving to California, she was the librarian for St. John's Prep for several years.
Nevins Memorial Library, Methuen, is honored to be receiving the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce Small Business Recognition Award in the Discovery category.

The Award is made by the Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce in recognition of the Nevins Memorial Library's new facility which promotes the "Discovery" of a unique resource to the citizens of Methuen. The award was presented at a recognition breakfast on Friday, June 2.

The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) has engaged the services of Isaacson, Miller, a highly regarded executive search firm focusing on the non-for-profit, academic, and public service sectors with significant experience in library searches, to lead its search for a new Director of the Phillips Library. In retaining Isaacson, Miller, PEM seeks to attract an expanded pool of applicants as part of its Library Director search. The Phillips Library has a national reputation for its holdings in maritime art and history, New England life and culture, American decorative arts, Asian art and culture, Native American art and history, the art and culture of Oceania, natural history, and genealogy. The new Library Director will be responsible for providing a progressive vision and creative leadership regarding the development of the Library's collections and services, the management of all Library operations, and continued integration of the Library with the museum as a whole. The PEM hopes to name a new Library Director by September 2006.
Philanthropy with a smile in Rockport

The creativity and generosity of a local resident about to celebrate his 90th birthday netted the Rockport Public Library Gift Fund more than $30,000. Through newspaper ads he invited the public to his party, saying "It's my birthday but the library is getting the present." He asked that his gifts be checks made out to the library gift fund and he promised to match the amount of the donations. A bit of a curmudgeon in local political circles, he invited the public to "sock it to him." They responded with gusto-it was fund-raising with a smile! The idea sparked a sense of community spirit as more than 200 people sent in checks and cash gifts totaling $17,425. Joking that he was spending his children's inheritance, he cheerfully delivered his personal check for the same amount to Library Director Hope Coffman.