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margaret coel

Margaret Coel To Be Featured At Friends Annual Luncheon

We are so excited that Margaret Coel will be joining us at this year’s Friends Luncheon. She’ll be there with books to sell and sign at the event. You definitely won’t want to miss this one!

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.

Don’t forget your tickets

Do you have your tickets to the Annual Friends Luncheon yet? They are going quickly so make sure to get one while you still can!

January 25th, 2019 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Wheat Ridge Recreation Center, 4005 Kipling St, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/friends-annual-luncheon-featuring-margaret-coel-tickets-54010501865

 

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Westerra Credit Union Champions Friends

We’re proud to announce that Westerra Credit Union is the Friends of JCPL 2017 “Champion” sponsor! Westerra will sponsor both Whale of a Used Book Sales in spring and fall, as well as Holiday Sales and Friends events throughout the year. That’s not all! They are also providing reusable book bags that will be distributed free of charge to all book sale attendees.

Community sponsors, like Westerra, make it possible for Friends of JCPL to give even more to the JCPL programs we love, like Summer Reading and Early Literacy programs for children.

As a not-for-profit credit union with roots in education, the partnership is a perfect fit. Westerra Credit Union was formed by eight school teachers in 1934. The educators pooled their funds in order to make loans to other teachers.  Its purpose was to put the members first when offering financial services, treating members as valued owners.

“Education is a building block of our credit union as we were started by teachers over 82 years ago and focus on providing financial education to individuals and families,” said Dana Russell, Manager of Marketing and Public Relations for Westerra Credit Union.  “By supporting organizations like the foundation, we are able to help provided services that reach entire communities and make a difference.”

Today Westerra has grown to more than 15,000 members, returned $16.7 million last year to members in lower fees and better rates, and holds a 5-Star Bauer Financial rating – consistently achieving, the Sustained Superiority Award, ranking Westerra among top 10% of credit unions nationwide. In fact, Westerra was featured in the Denver Business Journal as number eight among the Top 200 Healthiest Credit Unions in America in an analysis by depositaccounts.com, a website known for helping consumers find the best rates.

With Westerra’s focus on community-building, it’s no wonder they value Friends. “The alignment with the Jeffco Library Foundation and the programs of JCPL is a great fit for us. Westerra is a locally owned credit union and all of our profits are returned to the people who use our services. This model strengthens communities as we keep more money working locally and to support other organizations with the same philosophy,” Dana Russell said.

Join us in welcoming Westerra Credit Union as a Friend and partner!

Friends of Jefferson County Public Library is a program of the Jefferson County Library Foundation, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting the programs of Jefferson County Public Library through advocacy and fundraising.

Learn more about becoming a Friend of JCPL.

Learn more about Westerra Credit Union.

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Friends of JCPL logo

Changes Coming to Friends

Laura Kepler, President Friends of JCPL

Laura Kepler, President of Friends of Jefferson County Public Library

As President of the Friends of Jefferson County Public Library (JCPL), I spent many hours thinking about our mission and how best to achieve it. One day, I ran across a quote from Baltasar Gracian that seemed to sum up what I had long been trying to articulate: Friendship multiplies the good in life. That is precisely what Friends of JCPL does. Through advocacy and support, we multiply the good of JCPL, helping it become stronger by building a vibrant community around it.

When I thought about our goals for this year (and beyond), I asked myself a simple question: How can we multiply the good by a greater factor? The Friends Council and I want to offer our Friends more. We want to offer our Library more as well. We will be implementing some changes that will accomplish both of these goals, including adding benefits to your Friends membership, like:

  • Discounts at Friends Holiday Sales
  • Discounts on Friends ticketed events
  • Invitations to Friends events

We’ll also be introducing a new Friends membership card. This card is made of a durable plastic that won’t only identify you as a Friend of JCPL, but will also get you all those great discounts at Friends book sales, including the Friends Gift & Book Shop at Belmar Library.

We will also be trying to cut costs by digitizing our Footnotes newsletter. It will still give you all the great updates you’re accustomed to, but in a digital format that will be emailed right to your home. This will allow us to give a higher percentage of Friends membership fees (which are tax-deductible donations) to support the programs we all love, like Summer Reading and Early Literacy programs for children.

Please take a moment to review some of the new benefits of Friendship. I certainly hope you will join us in multiplying the good and making Friends of JCPL stronger than ever.

2017 Friends of JCPL Membership Levels & Benefits

Effective April 2017

Individual                   $15-$24

  • Admission to Preview Night Spring Whale Sale
  • Admission to Preview Night Fall Whale Sale
  • 10% discount at Friends Gift Shop at Belmar year-round
  • Invites to Friends-only events
  • Friends e-newsletter
  • One Friends membership card

 

 Sponsor                       $100-$249

  • All the Supporter perks, and…
  • 10% discount at Friends Holiday Book Sales

 
Couple                         $25-$39

  • All the Individual perks, and…
  • One additional Friends membership card  (2 total)
 Patron                          $250-$499

  • All the Sponsor perks, and…
  • Free admission for two to a Friends ticketed event *
  • 10% discount at Friends Holiday Book Sales

 
Supporter                   $40-$99  

  • All of the Couple perks, and…
  • 10% discount on ticketed Friends events
  • 2 additional Friends membership cards (4 total)
 Conservator               $500+

  • All the Patron perks, and…
  • Free admission for two to two Friends ticketed events*
  • Special invitation to the President’s appreciation event

*This perk applies to the primary cardholder, not all individual cardholders within the membership.

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This Above All cover

Join the Friends and author Mike Foster, February 15

This Above All coverFor the love of libraries! Want to become more involved with the Library? Meet new people? Provide ideas for new programs? Volunteer at fun events? Help raise awareness of the library? Help raise funds for Jefferson County Public Library to continue to meet the needs of all residents of the county?

If you love the Library, join us for our first meeting of the FRIENDS of the Jefferson County Public Library at the Golden location, on Wednesday, February 15th, at 6:15 pm.

This Valentine-themed meeting/event includes a “Share Your Love of Books” exercise and you’re encouraged to bring your favorite book and chat about it with a different person every four minutes in a progressive lineup. (Think speed-dating – but you’re not really looking for a mate, just a new friend or acquaintance.)

We’ll also have a visit from local author Mike Foster. Mike recently published his fifth book – a work of fiction – This Above All. We’ll have door prizes and refreshments. This is a great way to meet new people and learn about fun opportunities at the library through the FRIENDS of the JCPL and the JCPL Foundation. For all lovers of the Library. Free, but please register in advance at https://www.meetup.com/Innovators-Workshop. For: Adults, 16+

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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 [email protected] or call 303-403-5078.

 

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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.

 

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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 [email protected].

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