Library foundation celebrates 20 years of fundraising

The Carson City Library Foundation will celebrate its 20th anniversary this month.

Members of the group will host a party with the theme "Black, White and Read" on Nov. 17 at the Silver Oak Golf Club.

The event isn't a fundraiser; it's to draw attention to the foundation and the library's ongoing financial needs, said Pat Glick, president. She has been with foundation for 10 years and was employed by the library for 25 years before that.

"Funding has always been a problem for the library," Glick said.

General local tax revenues are the primary source of money used to operate the public library. State and federal funds - and any grants that can be secured - help keep up with expenses.

Additional cash is important and why the foundation is necessary to provide the best possible service to those who use the library.

Exacerbating Carson City's situation now is a lack of space as demand for library services continues to increase.

"You can't expand a book collection without a place to put them," she said.

Oktoberfest is the group's biggest effort to raise money to cover additional library materials and expenses, such as new furniture for when the library eventually expands, for example.

Members of the Library Board of Trustees are considering creating a voter initiative to help keep up with service demand, such as by creating a new funding mechanism or asking for approval of a bond to pay for a new library building. If so, it would be put before voters in 2008.

No-host cocktails will be available starting at 6:30 p.m. and a buffet dinner will follow. Special guest at the event is Mike Alger, area television news personality and author.

A donation of $35 per person to the Carson City Library Foundation will secure tickets to the event, which are being sold at the Browser's Corner in the library, 900 N. Roop St., and at Sugar Pine Cove, 1803 S. Carson St.

RSVPs are needed by Monday. Call Glick at 882-3480 for details.

• Contact reporter Terri Harber at tharber @nevadaappeal.com or 882-2111, ext. 215.