Silent auction raises funds for library

The Friends of the Thompson Falls Library will be holding their 10th Annual Silent Auction in the Library Annex until Saturday, Dec. 4. The auction opened last Tuesday, Nov. 23. 

The proceeds from the event will go to fund library projects over the course of the year. According to Karen Harlen, organizer of the event, the money goes a long way in funding library improvements.

“This year, we were able to buy a secure book drop to replace the old book drop, which was not secure and it was hard on the books,” Harlen said. “In previous years, we’ve gotten shelving, equipment, computers, software, genealogy research tools, supplies that the library can’t afford, but would like to have.”

The Friends of the Library also sponsor the children’s reading program, the living and learing series, special events, and also the books for newborns at the Clark Fork Valley Hospital.

“It’s a really nice community outreach,” Harlen said.

According to Harlen, the library has seen a lot of increased traffic without a lot of increased revenue in the last couple of years, so the Friends try to fill in the gaps.

The first silent auction started about 10 years ago as a smaller auction, and that started with about 30 items, and it has since grown over the years.

Preparations for next year’s auction begin almost immediately after the auction takes place. This is so the Friends have enough time to compile donated items to be auctioned.

“We have really a broad base of community members who donate their time, their talents, and their items,” Harlen said.

Harlen and other members of the Friends of the Library group take all of the donated items they receive over the year and arrange them into cohesive baskets, which they display at the Annex during the auction.

“Sometimes a basket will just start with an idea, like somebody says, ‘Oh, look, we got a book about dogs. Let’s do a dog basket,’” Harlen said. “Or somebody says, ‘Oh, I found this picture at a garage sale; can you do something with it?’ Sometimes we’ll reframe it, sometimes we’ll stage it with other items.”

The auctions generate several thousand dollars in revenue, which varies year to year. Of the various fundraising events that the Friends organize, the silent auction is the biggest.

“The book sales make money for the library; we also do online book sales. But this is the big one,” Harlen said.

For Harlen, one of the most enjoyable aspects of organizing this event is having the opportunity to work with so many people towards a common goal.

“You get to meet all of the donors and the volunteers, and all of the people who come and shop, so I would say that’s the best part of it,” Harlen said. “Plus, it’s gratifying to have the resources afterwards to help the library get what they need.”

According to  Lynne Kersten, library director, this fundraiser is integral part of sustaining the library.

“Without our Friends of the Library, our library would not be anywhere near as great as it is,” Kersten said, “especially for our size of town.”

Kersten states that the fundraiser generally brings in about $5,000 to $6,000 to take the library through the year. With that, library staff have been able to buy furniture and library resources. In addition to that, the funds help with library bills and repairs to the building

“And of course books and all the good stuff that everybody wants,” Kersten said.

The library is looking to replace the windows, because Northwestern Energy will be conducting an energy audit at the end of November as a way to create an idea of how the library can save money on the building.

“[The windows] have been a big source of lost energy,” Kersten said. “It’s hot in the summer, and the sun comes in. If you look at our books, you can see how some of the spines have gotten bleached by the sun.”

In the winter, condensation forms on the windows and freezes during the evening. During the afternoon, the windows thaw, getting water everywhere.

The library has gotten bids on the project, which have been from five to $10,000.

A large portion of the money that is earned will likely go for the windows. “That’s our big project,” Kersten said.

Kersten has high hopes for this year’s auction, especially considering the library’s slated projects.

“We hope it’s going to be the biggest and the best,” Kersten said.