A drawing of the titanic setting off to sea

Titanic Tea – April 15th at the Molly Brown Summer House

A drawing of the titanic setting off to seaJoin the Friends of the Jefferson County Public Library for what promises to be an unforgettable afternoon with Colorado’s legendary Molly Brown, at the historic Molly Brown Summer House, in Lakewood, on April 15th.

You’ll be amazed by the first-person characterization of Molly Brown, given by Janet Kalstrom. You’ll delight over our collection of vintage hats—complete with bows and feathers—from Colorado ACTS, the Red Rocks Community College Theatre & Arts Department and the Arvada Center for Arts & Humanities, as you enjoy perfect petite fours and a cuppa (tea, that is). And let’s not forget the presentation of Molly Brown-era fashion clothing, which will be given by Days Gone Bye.

Mark your calendars for April 15th. Tours of the Molly Brown Summer House will be given before and after our Titanic Tea party, which will start promptly at 4 p.m.

How to Purchase Tickets

Buy tickets online by visiting our Square Store.

You can also mail your payment to Jefferson County Library Foundation. Please include your ticket preference with your payment. You can purchase tickets for the Titanic Tea for $35. Unfortunately, all tours of the Molly Brown Summer House for the day of the Titanic Tea Party have been sold out. However, you can make arrangements to tour the house at another time at the tea party.

Make checks out to Jefferson County Library Foundation

10790 W 50th Avenue, Suite 200

Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

For more information, email sarah.whelan@jeffcolibrary.org or call 303-403-5078.

 

/by

Welcome Don DuBe to JCLF

sea of booksJCLF is pleased to welcome Don DuBe to its staff. Don will be our new Warehouse Coordinator, a position that oversees our book inventory, ensuring that each book finds its proper place—whether it will be at the Whale Sale, the Friends Gift Shop at Belmar, the Holiday Sale or the Internet. With more than 40 years of experience working with book distributers, wholesalers and retailers, we’re sure Don is up for the task.

Anyone who has volunteered at the Foundation warehouse can tell you—at times, it feels like you’re drowning in a sea of books, a sea that we have to organize box and transfer to the Fairgrounds for our signature Whale Sale. We’re thrilled that Don will be working closely with our volunteers at the warehouse, functioning as the lynchpin of communication and, hopefully, taming our wild sea of books.

As you may have guessed, Don is a book person. “I usually read three books at a time,” Don said. “I keep one in my truck, one at my bedside and one in the library—and they’re all different genres, so I get some variety.” Though he may read books across the spectrum, he’s a Sci-Fi fan at heart.

Don is married with three children and three grandchildren.

 

/by

Friends Annual Meeting a Great Success

Author Elizabeth Fenn takes time to sign a few books after the Friends Annual Meeting

Author Elizabeth Fenn takes time to sign a few books after the Friends Annual Meeting

More than 50 guests joined us for breakfast Friday, January 29th, at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center to celebrate the accomplishments of our most valued supporters—the Friends of Jefferson County Public Library. Not only were Friends treated to breakfast, they were also treated to a 2015 Pulitzer Prize Winning author as well!

Elizabeth Fenn is the Walter and Lucienne Driskill Professor of Western American History at the University of Colorado Boulder and author of Encounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 2015. The author’s talk was much like her book, both academic and approachable, enriching our understanding of the Mandan People, their culture and history.

Hosting an event with a great author was a terrific way to honor our Friends – those who have contributed so much to the Foundation and JCPL last year. In 2015, Friends of JCPL:

  • Volunteered a grand total of 8,750 hours, a contribution that’s valued at $201,862.50*
  • Helped raise $136,276 between the Spring and Fall Whale of a Used Book Sales
  • Ran the Friends Gift & Book Shop at Belmar Library, which raised more than $38,000
  • Sorted, scanned, priced and boxes more than 300,000 books, which stocked our used book sales
  • Hosted the annual Rare & Novel Night benefit, which raised more than $21,000

What more can be said then: Thank you, Friends!

Friends Council members Kay Rowland, Linda Abbott and Deborah Deal-Blackwell at the Friends Annual Meeting

Friends Council members Kay Rowland, Linda Abbott and Deborah Deal-Blackwell at the Friends Annual Meeting

*The Independent Sector, a leadership forum for charities, foundations and corporate giving programs, values each volunteer hour in Colorado at $23.07.

 

/by
Elizabeth Fenn

Join Us at the Friends Annual Meeting

Elizabeth FennThe Friends of Jefferson County Library’s Annual Meeting is a chance for the Foundation and Friends to catch up on the activities and accomplishments of the previous year. We will meet at 8 am at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center (4005 Kipling Street) on January 29th and enjoy a catered breakfast as we review 2015 and look forward to 2016.

This year’s meeting includes a special appearance by Elizabeth Fenn, the 2015 Pulitzer Prize Winner in History for her book Encounters at the Heart of the World: A History of the Mandan People.

This event is free to Friends Members – you can also bring a friend for only $10. Reserve your spot by calling the Foundation Office at 303-403-5078 or email sarah.whelan@jeffcolibrary.org.

/by

As we head into the new year…

joschantz-280It’s hard to believe that I’ve been a part of the Jefferson County Library Foundation for nearly a year now. What a fantastic organization, and one that proudly serves as a cornerstone of fundraising and support for our Jefferson County Public Library.

As we continue on in 2016, I believe you will see some exciting changes coming our way. We will be tweaking our Whale Sales, adding some new sales, and hosting a series of book drives in order to replenish our shelves. We’ll also be canvassing for more volunteers and offering many new trainings for our volunteer ranks. For our Friends and supporters, you’ll see a whole new line-up of social and fundraising events throughout the year.

You may have noticed already that our Board of Directors continues to grow, and each added member brings a wealth of talent, experience and knowledge to our governing Board.

Overall, I continue to be grateful to so many of our Foundation donors for their outstanding support. I appreciate all you do to help make our organization a success, and I applaud you for upholding the Jefferson County Library Foundation’s mission and ongoing efforts. Thank you!

Jo Schantz, MNM, CFRE

Executive Director

/by