Friends Festival Of Parties
June 27, 2007
WHAT? The Friends of the Essex Library is coordinating a Festival of Parties to benefit the library. It will be this year’s social-fundraising event and is patterned after Madison’s highly-successful Parade of Parties. Each host/ess picks his/her own date/time/theme and invites her neighbors/friends. The Friends of the Library provides invitation stock and a committee to help hostesses craft their invitations (if needed). RSVP cards are returned with checks to the Library and host/esses will be notified about acceptances/regrets.
WHO? Anyone can host. Someone with a great idea might team up with a friend with a larger living room. The guest list is up to the host/ess. The Friends would like to offer newcomers to Essex the ability to join a party with similar-age/interest guests so they can meet people; hopefully some of the large-party host/esses will be able to accommodate them. One of the successes most frequently mentioned after last year’s Moveable Feast was the fun of meeting new people (this from hostesses and guests alike).
WHEN? October 1, 2007 through March 30, 2008.
WHY? Because parties make good fundraisers and each host/ess knows what will most appeal to his/her friends.
HOW MUCH TO CHARGE? This is a fundraiser, so we hope cocktail parties will start at $35 per person, based on elaborateness of the spread. Dinners should start at $50 or $75 per person. Think how much it costs for an evening in a restaurant with your friends—and remember this is a donation to the library. It’s hoped that each party might raise about $750 or $1,000.
WHAT’S TAX DEDUCTIBLE? The hostess should keep receipts for all costs (food, beverages, helpers, etc) and discuss this with her accountant. Guests will be given guidelines about how much of their donation is deductible.
WHAT ARE OTHER PEOPLE DOING? So far hostesses have thought of neighborhood dinner parties, big cocktail parties, Sunday brunches, progressive dinners, a BBQ. Some large parties have co-hosts, others are single hostesses. Literary-theme dinners are possible, or seasonal party themes (Halloween, Academy Awards, New Year’s, Valentine’s, etc).
WON’T MY FRIENDS THINK IT’S WEIRD TO BE INVITED TO PAY FOR A DINNER AT MY HOUSE? There will be publicity about the Festival of Parties. Host/esses will have mentioned this to their friends before sending the invitation, so recipients won’t be surprised.
WHAT IF TWO FRIENDS FROM THE SAME SOCIAL GROUP WANT TO DO PARTIES? They can both give parties, but time them so that their friends can go to both…or if neither can host ALL their friends, they could divide their guest list and do two parties.
HOW DO I SIGN UP? Contact Hostess Coordinator Rebecca Halsey, whalsey@sbcglobal.net, 767-3374. Or hostess recruiters JoAnne Carter, educationalsolutions@snet.net; Mimi Furgueson, mimifurg@sbcglobal.net, 767-3323; or Lucy Leo, jimeleo@sbcglobal.net
Thanks in advance for your support of this FUNdraising project.
Event Co-chairs: Marilyn Buel, 767-7742, mbuel@welseyan.edu
Molly Lombardi, 767-2423, mlombardi@comcast.net
Hostess Coordinator: Rebecca Halsey
Publicity: Penny Parker
Invitation Design: Kirsten Reynolds
Invitation Assistance for Hostesses: Kristin Madden
Hostesses (list in formation)
Alison Marcinek
Sabele Foster
Katherine Jacaruso
Betsy Whidden
Molly Lombardi
Marta Collins
Lisa Laing
Leslie Black & Leslie Anderson
Penny Parker
Casey O’Brien
Terry Smith
Claire Matthews
Alison Brinkmann
Marilyn Buel
Maureen Heher
Daphne Nielsen
Rhode VanGessel
Kristin Madden/Christa Harpin
Friends Events
June 26, 2007
To the Friends of the Essex Library
Last week there was an organizational meeting to introduce Friends programs and activities. We were very pleased to have so many interested attendees. For those who were not able to make this meeting, please take a look at the following. It outlines what we’re doing this year and the contacts if you want to become involved. We look forward to having you as part of the Friends Volunteers.
Janice Atkeson 767-7223
Marilyn Buel 767-7742
To become part of the many Friends activities just contact the volunteers listed below or become part of our Volunteers List (see below).
Book Sales (May and October)
Chairman: Dee Grover, 767-1893, doragrover@yahoo.com
Festival of Parties (October 2007 through March 200 
Co-Chairs: Molly Lombardi, 767-2422, mslombardi@comcast.net / Marilyn Buel, 767-7742,
To sign up as a hostess, contact Hostess Coordinator: Rebecca Halsey, 767-3374,
whalsey@sbcglobal.net . To help out, contact Marilyn or Molly.
Newcomers Book Bag Program
Co-Chairs: Tammy Hinkley, 767-8554, tammy@noblepower.com / Barbara Zernike, 767-8234,
Friends Cookbook
Co-Chairs: Molly Lombard, 767-2423, mslombardi@comcast.net / Terry Smith, 767-7119,
Field Trips to Area Literary Locations
Co-Chairs: Daphne Nielson, 767-0547, daphnedazzle@aol.com / Jean Hernandez, 767-1410
Other Supporting Activities for our Friends volunteers—General Information
Mailings
Fundraising Events
Board Positions
Contact: Janice Atkeson, President, 767-7223, jpartel@aol.com, Marilyn Buel, 767-7742,
To get on our Volunteers List:
Contact our Volunteer Co-Chairs: Lois Thomsen, 767- 7557, lsthomsen@comcast.net /Alice
Vandeursen, 767-2224, avandeursen@comcast.net
New DVD Series On Order
June 22, 2007
We have ordered the following DVD series and they should be available for patrons shortly:
Nip/Tuck - The Complete First Season; Footballers Wives - The Complete Third Season; Desperate Housewives - The Complete Third Season (pre-order, not out yet)
Planet Earth: The Complete Collection DVD 5PK ; Rome: The Complete First Season; Wire: The Complete First Season Six Feet Under - The Complete First Season
Sopranos: The Complete Fourth Season; Carnivale - The Complete First Season
We’ve Joined With Netflix For DVD’s
June 19, 2007
It’s True! The Library now has a way to provide patrons with DVDs that we can’t get through the LION system. Just let us know what title you’d like and if we can’t get it conveniently through our LION catalog, we’ll put in a request to Netflix. You can make a request in person at the Library, by phone–767-1560, or by e-mail– staff@essexlib.org
Can’t Find A Notary When You Need One?
June 18, 2007
We have a notary on staff here at the Library…she’s our very own Sue Staehly! Sue will happily notarize your documents free of charge whenever she is here which is regularly on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10-4 and on Tuesdays from 1-8pm. Call ahead if you have any questions about requirements for notarization–767-1560.
Come Play With Wii!
June 14, 2007
Teen Gaming Night For Young Adults AtThe Essex Library!! Thursday, June 21st 6:30-8pm
Teens entering grades 7-10 are invited. We have Dance, Dance Revolution and Wii too! Bring your friends and have a great time at the Library. Pizza and snacks are always served! Please call or email at 767-1560 jmccann@essexlib.org to register so that we’ll have plenty of pizza and drinks for everyone.
Summer Movies For Kids
June 13, 2007
Every Wednesday in July and August, the Essex Library will be showing a movie from 3-5pm in our program room.
July 5 Night At The Museum (PG)
July 12 Walt Disney’s Cinderella (G)
July 19th Harry Potter And The Sorcerer’s Stone (PG)
July 26 High School Musical (G)
August 2 The Cat In The Hat w/ Mike Myers (PG)
August 9 Over The Hedge (PG)
August 16 Cheaper By The Dozen 2 (PG)
August 23 Nanny McPhee (PG)
August 30 Flicka (PG)
The Friends Are Making Plans!
June 11, 2007
Please help us make plans for the upcoming year for the Friends of the Essex Library.
Date: Thursday, June 21
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Place: Program Room at the library
We need you your ideas for events such as the Festival of Parties, field trips to interesting libraries, volunteer opportunities at the library, etc. We, also, need your volunteer time to coordinate these activities!!!!
Moms, please bring quiet toys for your children - or let them choose some books!
Questions? Contact Marilyn Buel, Vice President, Friends of the Essex Library mbuel@wesleyan.edu or 767-7742.
Hope to see you on the 21st!
Thank you,
Janice Atkeson
President, Friends of the Essex Library
Some Administrative Notes
June 11, 2007
Thursdays In July and August, 6:30-7:15pm Sleepy Time Stories on the Lawn of the CT River Museum. Families are invited to bring their blankets and special stuffed animals and listen to some fun summertime stories. Stories will be held at the Essex Library in case of rain.
Nancy Thomas of the Community Music School will be teaching her Kindermusik Classes at the Essex Library this summer for 5 Tuesdays- June 12, 19, 26, July 10 and 17. Please register through the Music School directly by calling 767-0026.
Orange Prize Winners Announced
June 8, 2007
The Orange Broadband Prize For Fiction was announced June 6th. The Prize honors the best book of the past year written in English by a woman and comes with a $60,000 check. Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie won for her book: Half of a Yellow Sun, set in Nigeria during the civil war when Biafra declared independence. Adichie’s debut novel Purple Hibiscus was also shortlisted for the Orange Prize in 2004.
The Orange Broadband Prize For New Writers was given to Karen Connelly for her book The Lizard Cage. The New Writers Prize comes with a $20,000 check to help the winner pursue her work with greater freedom.
