February fling prepares locals for spring
Mineral County news services
For the Friends of the Library, their mission is all about taking up the slack when funds are not available to do something.
Leslie Heppe, Friends’ president, said that they step in when something needs done that the county is not able to do or the budget does not allot for to protect the future of the library.
“If the county doesn’t have the money to do something, somebody has to take up the slack,” Heppe said. “And that’s what we’ve been doing for the five years that I’ve been president. We’ve remodeled, painted and put up the computer stations.”
Of course, all of the projects that the Friends’ focus on require some form of fundraising. In the past, the Friends’ have always focused on several activities to raise money for various items, but this year, they pooled their efforts into one main event, the 1st Annual Friends of the Library February Fling: Ready for Spring, which was held back on Feb. 26.
Mineral County Librarian Guna Chaberek praised the recent outpouring of love from those who came to support the Friends at the fundraiser. She said that $1,000 was raised.
“The February Fling was a great success,” Chaberek said. “We all had a great time.”
A great time it was. Dana Austin played guitar and sang for them, while Terry Smith and Andrea Mitchell of the Montana Dark Horse Band also performed.
Chaberek said that she wants to thank those who contributed to the bake sale as well.
“Everyone is looking forward to next year’s event,” she said. “A big thanks to local supporters of the Mineral County Public Library.”
Chaberek also said that she is excited about opportunities to engage children in the local library, which is why she’s happy to promote a new contest called, Why I Need My Library.
“Our local teenagers have a chance at a $50 reward and $3,000 for their local library in this new contest that’s running through April,” she said. “All they have to do is make a short video about them and the library and upload it to YouTube.”
Complete rules can be found on the American Library Association (ALA) website or find the link on www.mineralcountylibrary.org/kids.htm. The contest is open to children ages 13-18. To enter, there’s a three-step process: make the video, upload it YouTube and mail-in the entry form. All this must be done by April 18th.
According to the ALA website, the Why I Need My Library Video contest is an initiative of 2010-2011 ALA President Roberta Stevens to engage teenagers as library advocates.
Chaberek thinks there are many local children who use the library who would be wonderful representatives and who would have fun doing it.
“It would be wonderful to get some recognition for the library and our kids on such a popular website as YouTube,” she says.
For more information about the Mineral County Public Library and its programs, contact the Library at 406.822.3563.