The Friends of the Pleasanton Library are calling “all aboard” to the S.S. Goodtimes for the fundraising dinner on Thursday, Sept. 21 at the Palm Event Center. The cruise ship-themed dinner and entertainment will include wine, authors Ayelet Waldman and Josh Braff, music by the Ira Stein Jazz Quartet, dancing, a chocolate fountain, and casino action including blackjack and poker.
This is the first year that the Friends will be hosting a benefit dinner to raise money for new children’s picture books at the library. Normally fundraising takes the form of book sales twice a year–the next being Friday, Sept. 20 through Sunday Oct. 1–located within the library where there are space constraints.
In an interview with Joan Leighty, treasurer of the Friends of the Pleasanton Library, she said that the purpose of hosting an event at a venue outside of the library is to reach a constituency that will broaden its base.
“The library is the most used building in town, seeing over 1,000 people a day of all ages,” Leighty said. “We want to open it up to all of those people and reach out to the community that’s not the average visitor.”
One goal of the Friends is to educate people of the wide range of programs offered at the library that their organization supports. The money produced by book sales and internal fundraising goes to round-out or start-specific collections, for books on tape, and for exchanging VHS to DVDs. The Friends will fund pilot programs like the Summer Reading Program or Homework Buddies, and events like Author’s Night. “It’s enhancing at all levels,” Leighty added. The Friends give money for new equipment as well, like shelving and computers, and more recently a realignment assessment for the best spacing possibilities within the building.
The Friends are a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization that supports education and literacy through the library. Their membership includes about 400 people, some of whom are active, others are friends to support the Friends, and some are part the strong core of volunteers.
With the library being the community center for Pleasanton, Leighty said that, “the public persona is that we’re great at what we do and we don’t need any more.” However, with the multiple programs that that Friends supports and a constant need for new books and nowhere to hold the old ones, the Friends are hoping to do all they can with the extra profits.
A couple years ago the organization replaced an entire Dr. Seuss collection in the children’s section. While replacing an entire collection is expensive, the Friends will try to focus this year’s fundraising on purchasing new pieces and retiring the old ones, primarily using the money where it’s needed. “The children’s section is the most loved and used collection in the library,” Leighty said, noting the benefit dinner as an important step in promoting the need for children’s books.
The event will set sail at 7 p.m. and is open to the public. “We’re hoping for a strong support from the community that has supported us so well, both in coming to programs within the library, and supporting us outside of it,” Leighty said. “We’re promising to put on an extraordinary show.”
Tickets cost $90 per person.
For more information or to buy tickets call Nancy Bering at 462-4368.
The Friends are also seeking adult volunteers for the upcoming book sale. If interested or for more information about the sale, call Bering.
