Mountain Metro Association of Realtors @mmarealtors raised $1,075.00 for Conifer and Evergreen Libraries at their Goldilocks Fundraiser held at the #LittleBearSaloon in Evergreen. Thank you @mmarealtors and @littlebearsaloon for your ongoing support.

We’re excited to announce that we’ve received a grant from Kars4Kids Small Grant Program.  Read JCLF executive director Jo Schantz’ extensive written interview at Kars4Kids.

Need more reasons to reserve your shopping time at Fall Whale Sale?  Here are some GOOD ones (for you AND the planet)!

Did you know that:
  • World consumption of paper has grown 400 percent in the last 40 years.
  • Paper and paper products account for 25% of all landfill waste in the US and more than a third of all Canada’s waste.
  • Paper manufacturing is the third largest user of fossil fuels worldwide.
  • Every year in the US, more than 2 billion books are published.
  • About 40 million tons of paper that could be recycled is thrown away each year in the US.

So not only do you get some great books, CDs, DVDs, and LPs at great prices, you’re also helping the planet!

As of July 1, the Jefferson County Library Foundation (JCLF) has reopened for book donations from the public. We also accept contributions of CDs, DVDs and vinyl records. We are open for donations MONDAY through THURSDAY, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

We request that all donations come in sturdy boxes. If donors have more than 6 boxes to donate, please call JCLF ahead of time at 303-403-5076 to speak with Neil Thoreson, our warehouse coordinator.

JCLF is following health and safety protocols to guard against the spread of COVID-19:
• Donors must wear face coverings and remain in their cars.
• Donors are directed to call the phone number listed on a sandwich board placed outside the warehouse.
• Our staff and volunteers (wearing masks and gloves) will retrieve the donations from cars and place them in an on-site POD (to quarantine donations for 72 hours).
• We will gladly give donors a receipt for their contributions.

Our volunteer corps is back in action, as well, but on a limited basis. In observance of social distancing and safety requirements, we are allowing no more than 3-4 volunteers in the warehouse and sorting areas at a time. Volunteers must wear face coverings, and must also wear gloves when handling items donated by the public. All volunteers must undergo a temperature check and read and sign off on our health/safety protocols before working in the JCLF office and warehouse.

Questions? Please call us at 303-403-5075.

Closures:

The Foundation offices are closed until further notice. Please check back for updates.

The Gift Shop at Belmar Library is closed until further notice.

The Friends of JCPL online Amazon and eBay stores are closed until further notice.

 

Cancelled Events:

The Spring Whale of a Used Book Sale, scheduled for May 28 – 31, 2020 is cancelled.  Please join us for the Fall Whale of a Used Book Sale, scheduled for October 16-18, 2020 at the Jeffco Fairgrounds.

As a part of her involvement in Golden, Colorado’s Leadership Golden training,  JCLF Executive Director Jo Schantz and her cohort members conceptualized and proceed to create Project STAR – a program that gives  homeless and unaccompanied teens at Golden High School basic necessities ranging from RTD passes, laundromat vouchers, food, and a wide range of products and services that these youth cannot access. Read more about it in the December 2, 2019 Golden Transcript.

 

Photo: Steadman, Christy. “Project Star.” Golden Transcript, 2 Dec. 2019, https://goldentranscript.net/stories/project-star-and-need-for-clean-benefits-homeless-golden-high-schoolers,290435.

Jefferson County Library Foundation welcomes donations of books, CDs, VHS tapes, and DVDs in good condition!

We’re open Monday – Friday (excluding holidays and special events) from 9:00 a.m to 4:00 p.m. to accept donations.  It’s always best to call first to make sure someone is available to help you – call 303-403-5075 with your questions!

Here are some things not to eat (but fun to read about) on Halloween! 

There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bat! by Lucille Colandro

The Hallo-Wiener by Dave Pilkey

Bone Soup by Cambria Evans

Skeleton Hiccups by Margery Cuyler

 

We were sent this photo of one of our food sponsors’ cupcake art!

These cupcakes from Gold Mine Cupcakes in Golden, CO taste as good as they look!

To every person who volunteered for the Whale of a Used Book Sale, to every company who supported their employees in joining us to raise funds for Jeffco Public Library at the Whale Sale, and to every volunteer and organization who generously gives their time, knowledge, and dedication to the Foundation’s mission year-round – none of this would be possible without YOU!

Thank you!

Here are just a few photos from the Fall Whale Sale, featuring just a few of our MANY fabulous volunteers! Read more

The license plate says JOY – and that’s what you see on people’s faces when Jefferson County Public Library’s (JCPL) Library 2 You cargo van pulls up to the communities it serves. Kelly Duran, JCPL’s Library 2 You manager gave a presentation on the new cargo van service during our May 16th Jefferson County Library Foundation (JCLF) Board of Directors meeting.

After dwindling numbers of bookmobile borrowers gave JCPL the challenge of making the Library 2 You service more accessible, they started brainstorming solutions and got Summit Body Works under contract to make the project a reality.

With features like removable rolling carts, JCPL was able to break down accessibility barriers with certain communities, like retirement homes. Walking outside to see the selection available on the bookmobile left less mobile residents opting not to use the service. Now, residents can wait inside for the books to come to them.

“Residents were excited and started arriving 30 minutes early to wait for the van,” said Kelly Duran. JCPL Executive Donna Walker added, “It provides social interaction as well.” As it turns out, with people gathering to await the book services, they were taking the time to engage and chat with each other.

The cargo van service began in January 2019 and is continuing to expand its coverage by visiting a children’s summer camp this year, and will making special outreach appearances throughout Jefferson County.

For more information about how you can help the Jefferson County Library Foundation, click HERE.

Bandimere Speedway encourages young readers through Race to Read.

If there is any one of our sponsors who wants to get Colorado revved up to read, it’s Bandimere Speedway. As a strong supporter of readers of all ages, Tami Bandimere, President of Bandimere Speedway, served as a Board Member and Chair on the Jefferson County Library Foundation (JCLF) Board for many years, and through the Speedway she coordinates Race to Read®, a program to encourage elementary school-aged children to read with wonderful prizes and incentives, including tickets to the NAPA Auto Parts Night of Fire & Thunder.

Race to Read® found its roots in 1996 at Rooney Ranch Elementary in Lakewood, Colorado, and grew from there.

Throughout 23 years of encouraging elementary children to read through a challenging program with a racing theme, Race to Read® has:

  • been in 221 different schools
  • had 624,000 students participate in the program
  • given nearly 130,000 tickets to the “Night of Fire & Thunder” as a reading reward
  • had 1,528 participating school staff members represent their schools in the Race to Read Staff Challenge Race
  • awarded nearly 6,500 Top Readers with a goodie bag and a gently used book donated by the Jefferson County Library Foundation.

 

When it comes to JCLF’s Whale of a Used Book Sale, Tami Bandimere shared, “As a longtime Board Member and the immediate past Board Chair for the Jeffco Library Foundation, I have had the privilege of volunteering at the Whale Sales and love watching our patrons sift through the tables of books as they fill their bags with affordable finds. Working the children’s section is one of the best experiences – it’s hard to walk through the aisles because the kids are sitting on the floor reading while their parents are loading up on fun reading materials! The Whale Sales are a fantastic way to recycle while at the same time providing affordable materials to our awesome community.”

For more information about Bandimere Speedway’s Race to Read®, click HERE.

For more information about our 2019 Spring Whale of a Used Book Sale, click HERE.

Can you believe that it’s Springtime already?! With the arrival of a new season brings new events from the Jefferson County Library Foundation. We hope you’ll be able to join us!

NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK

National Library Week runs from Monday, April 8th,2019 – Friday, April 12th, 2019. Lakewood Community Acupuncture has teamed up with Jefferson County Library Foundation (JCLF) for a fundraiser that benefits your health and Jefferson County Public Libraries.

Schedule any service during National Library Week, and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to JCLF. Click HERE to learn more about Lakewood Community Acupuncture.

Click HERE to schedule an appointment, or call them directly at (720) 242-9756.

They are located at 7114 W. Jefferson Ave., Suite 112 in Lakewood.

LIBRARY GIVING DAY

Library Giving Day (Wednesday, April 10th, 2019) is a new national day of giving to help fund public libraries.

Join the Jefferson County Library Foundation in building awareness around the programs and services Jefferson County Public Library provides to its diverse community by scheduling your donation at HERE.

Let’s spread awareness together to encourage the support of our public libraries!

#LibraryGivingDay #jeffcolibraries #Jeffcofriends

THE 29TH ANNUAL JEFFERSON COUNTY COALITION’S GOOD NEWS BREAKFAST

Registration is now open for the Jefferson County Coalition’s Good News Breakfast.

Click HERE for more information and click HERE to register.

29th Annual Good News Coalition Breakfast
Tuesday, April 30th, 2019
6:59 a.m. – 8:29 a.m. (MST)

Jefferson County Fairgrounds
15200 W. 6th Ave.
Golden, CO 80401

Margaret Coel joined us at this year’s Friends Luncheon. Margaret Coel is the New York Times best-selling author of the acclaimed Wind River mystery series set among the Arapahos on Wyoming’s Wind River Reservation and featuring Jesuit priest Father John O’Malley and Arapaho attorney Vicky Holden.

The novels have received wide recognition. They have been on the bestseller lists of numerous newspapers, including the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Denver Post and the Rocky Mountain News. Five novels have received the Colorado Book Award. The Spirit Woman received the Willa Cather Award for Best Novel of the West and was a finalist for the Western Writers of America’s Spur Award for Best Novel.

She is a native Coloradan who hails from a pioneer Colorado family. The West — the mountains, plains, and vast spaces — are in her bones, she says.

About the Friends of Jefferson County Public Library

Friends of Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL) is a membership program of the Jefferson County Library Foundation (JCLF), a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the programs of JCPL through fundraising and advocacy. Friends of JCPL are famous for their used book sales, selling more than 200,000 used books throughout the year and raising nearly $250,000 annually to support the programs of JCPL.

Upcoming Events

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW FOR THE 4TH ANNUAL JEFFCO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!

Purchase your tickets HERE

4th Annual Jeffco Women’s Day
Friday, March 8, 2019
8:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Baldoria on the Water
146 Van Gordon St.
Lakewood, Colorado 80228

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW FOR THE 29TH ANNUAL JEFFERSON COUNTY COALITION’S GOOD NEWS BREAKFAST ON TUESDAY, APRIL 30TH, 2019!

Registration is now open for the Jefferson County Coalition’s Good News Breakfast.

Click HERE for more information and click HERE to register.

29th Annual Good News Coalition Breakfast
Tuesday, April 30th, 2019
6:59 a.m. – 8:29 a.m. (MST)

Jefferson County Fairgrounds
15200 W. 6th Ave.
Golden, CO 80401

SAVE THE DATE FOR MARCH MADNESS!
Friday, March 22nd 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday, March 23rd 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Columbine Library
7706 W Bowles Ave
Littleton, CO 80123