Books, Bites and Beverages enhances Churchill County Library programs

Mention books and reading, and Carol Lloyd becomes passionate about Churchill County Library’s annual fundraiser to provide additional programs to its schedule.

Carol Lloyd, the director for the last seven years, said this year’s Books, Bites and Beverages: A Literary Adventure features six books and themed raffle items. Originally a wine-tasting fundraiser, Lloyd and Churchill County Library Association decided last year to add several components to make the evening gathering fun as well as educational.

“We changed it to include books, so it wasn’t just the wine tasting,” she said. “We pulled in a book component with different titles, and each year we select books and try to build things around them.”

This year’s Books, Bites and Beverages is Aug. 9 beginning at 6:30 p.m. at the library. Tickets are $30 each and proceeds to benefit the library. Lloyd said tickets may be purchased in advance from the library or at the door. She said raffle baskets selling for $5 each or six for $25 will accompany each literary-themed table.

Lloyd said the community may be familiar with several of this year’s featured authors. “Don’t Skip Out on Me” by Willy Vlautin is set in Nevada, and the author delivered a talk earlier this year sponsored jointly by the library and the Churchill Arts Council. Vlautin is the award-winning author of “Lean on Pete” and “The Motel Life.”

“He used to live in Reno but now Portland (Oregon), but this book takes place in Nevada,” Lloyd added.

Local author George Morrow’s “The Farm Series” is another selection that will be presented on Aug. 9. Lloyd said Morrow will attend the fundraiser. Amazon describes the selection as “a collection of George’s short stories that are loosely based on real life experiences that he and his wife, Jean, have had on their farm near Fallon, with the exception of Sarah Pig which takes place in Henderson, Nevada. Each story is unique and special to itself.”

Lloyd said one of the associations’ members knows Andrew L. Mack, the author of “Search for Pekpek: Cassowaries and Conservation in the New Guinea Rainforest,” and suggested the book for the Books, Bites and Beverages.

Other novels include “America for Beginners” by Leah Franqui, “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd and “Zorro” by Isabel Allende.

In addition to the featured novels and the themed baskets, Lloyd said the library has been taking donations from the community for raffles.

“We’ll have some original artwork and gift certificates,” she said.

Another component to this year’s fundraiser is a wine pull. Bottles of wine varying in quality will be wrapped in a brown paper bag with either a red or white piece of ribbon tied around it. The two colors of ribbon indicate the type of wine. Lloyd said attendees will buy a ticket depending on the kind of wine they drink. She said members of the association are donating the wine.

Over the years, the annual fundraiser has enhanced library programs. Lloyd said the summer reading program, Books for Babies in conjunction with Banner Churchill Community Hospital, STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics) programs on Fridays, SUMFUN and author events such as those with Vlautin, Claire Watkins and Robert Leonard Reid.

Recently, the library had a juggling and magic program presented by Izzy Toolinsky and an educational program on space travel and on the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. The library works closely with the Churchill County School District, Oasis Academy, Fallon Youth Center and Naval Air Station Fallon. Lloyd said she is proud of the library’s outreach program with at least 30 organizations.

“We either go to them, or they come to us,” she said. “All the things we do here is pushed back to the community.”