Friends of the James V. Brown Library News

The Friends Annual Fall Booksale
Thursday, September 30, Friday, October 1 & Saturday October 2
at Pine Street Methodist Church

The Friends of the James V. Brown Library will hold their annual book sale at Pine Street United Methodist Church, 441 Pine St., Williamsport, from Thursday, September 30 through Saturday, October 2.

“The local Friends group sponsors the largest used book sale in North Central Pennsylvania with well over 15,000 titles available. Proceeds from the sale are used for special library projects such as the children and teens summer reading program and to fulfill the Friends pledge of support for the new children’s wing,” says Tricia Shipman, President of the Friends’ Board of Directors.

“Each Friends sale is unique in content because of the thousands of donated items received from community residents. Books (including children’s books), videos and DVDs withdrawn from the library’s collection will also be available for purchase,” according to Shipman. Most books are $1.50 or less. “Volunteers have been working since spring, sorting and categorizing books to help shoppers easily find the genre or subject area of interest to them”, says one faithful book sorter.

The Board encourages shoppers who are not current Friends members to join the Friends so that they can shop at the opening day “Friends Only” preview on Thursday 9/30 from 5-9 pm. Individual and family memberships will be available at the door. As a member you help to support all library programs in our present hard times of state budget cuts when it seems our legislators take their first bites from these kinds of programs. Friends’ members also have volunteer opportunities like helping around the library, sorting for the sale , and working in the Friends Favorites Gently Used Books store, as well as specific 50% off monthly specials in the store for members only.

Public book sale hours are Friday, 10/1, from 9 AM to 7 PM and Saturday 10/2, from 9 AM to 2 PM. The sale now offers two buying options - by the book or by the bag. Bags sales are discounted all day Saturday. New items are continually stocked as space becomes available. Another new feature of the sale is a separate area designated for late edition titles donated by Brodart and other specially priced books and media. Food will also be available for purchase on Friday and Saturday.

Overall, Shipman says that it’s a fun way to spend the day prospecting for reading treasures, collecting favorite authors, finding out of print titles and discovering new hobbies.

Join the Friends of the James V. Brown Library


Annual Fall Book Sale!
Friends of the James V. Brown Library
September 30 through October 2
Pine Street United Methodist Church Hall
441 Pine Street, Williamsport

Expanded hours and new pricing - by the book or by the bag!

September 30 ....*Friends Member Preview Night --5 -9PM
October 1 ... Open to Public -- 9AM - 7PM
October 2 ... Open to Public -- 9AM - 2PM - Bag Discount All Day Saturday!

*Friends Memberships available at the door!

Friends of the James V. Brown Library Book Review Lncheon - Friday, October 8

Friends of the JV Brown Library will hold a Book Review Luncheon on October 8th featuring Dave Thompson, news editor for the Williamsport Sun-Gazette and history buff who will review The Defenders of Freedom: The heroic stories of World War II and Korean War veterans.

The book contains more than 300 pages of factual and riveting stories told by the veterans themselves to award-winning Sun-Gazette writer David M. Thompson and includes never-before-published photos and illustrations. Read the personal accounts from the men and women that put their lives on the line for the freedom of others.


This event is open to the public and is free of charge unless you choose to order the light lunch that is available. The lunches cost $5.00 each and can be reserved by calling the library Information Desk at 326-0536 no later than 3:00 PM the Wednesday
before the event. (Wednesday, October 6)

The luncheons start at noon with the program beginning at 12:30.

Those interested may attend the 12:30 talk without lunch. The book reviews are held in the Lowry Theatre on the third floor of the new Welch Wing.

Friends of the Library to Provide Added Support to Summer Reading Program

At a recent board meeting of the Friends of the JV Brown Library, Janice Trapp, Director, pointed out that participation in the Summer Reading Program is declining because many children cannot reach the library.  She said that the staff has suggested re-purposing the ReaDiscover Mobile for children and have it supplement the Bookmobile.  It would then be used to take books to parks and summer camps.  She asked the Friends to provide $5,000 to stock it initially with new books.

In similar action the Board voted to make the final payment to complete the Friends pledge to the Capital Campaign.  This, too, is a $5,000 payment and finishes off a pledge of $75,000 made at the beginning of Welch Children's Wing construction.

Both of these gifts were made possible, in part, because of the success of the Spring Book Sale held at Pine Street Methodist Church in late April.  The book sale netted over $7,000 in sales and brought in 31 new members for the Friends.  The sale involved over 70 volunteers from set-up to clean-up over 4 days.

It was also reported that the Friends Favorites Used Bookstore, on the third floor of the new wing, is doing well thanks in part to the new signage on the outside of the new wing.  Income for the book store is hoped to be very helpful in supporting future library program and materials needs.  It is open Monday, Friday and Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoons.

Friends of the JV Brown Library Make Presentation

At the March meeting of the James V. Brown Library's Board of Trustees, Ms. Patricia Shipman, president of the Friends of the Brown Library presented a check in response to the library's request for various program funding needs. The programs covered are Bonus Books ($6,000) and Summer Reading ($5,000). The Friends Favorites Bookstore is providing funding to support the maintenance and replacement of interactive equipment in the Children's Wing ($2,500). Additionally, the bookstore will be purchasing ten Own-A-Days, one for each remaining month in 2010 ($1000).

The purpose of Friends of the Library (part of a national organization) is to assist the local library by funding materials, programs and services beyond the library's regular budget, encouraging volunteer service, promoting the value of the library to the citizens of Lycoming County, and advocating support from private and public sources. The local Friends group continues to grow as an organization, with well over 300 members so far in 2010. Memberships alone have brought in over $14,000 this year and have enabled them to fully fund the library's requests.

Other sources of income for the Friends organization locally are Fall and Spring used book sales and income from Friends Favorites, a book store specializing in the sale of very lightly used books.

Friends of the JV Brown Library hold Annual Meeting

The Friends of the James V Brown Library held their annual membership meeting on Tuesday evening, February 2, 2010.
Those attending heard reports from all committee chairs and a report from the library's Board of Trustees.  Revisions to the
organization's by-laws were presented and accepted.

The Friends Favorites Bookstore has been doing well when open on Monday, Friday, and Saturday mornings and Wednesday afternoon.  It was noted, however,  that more volunteers need to be trained in working there.

The slate of officers were accepted and elected by the members.  They are President Patricia Shipman, Vice-President Dawn Counsil,
Recording Secretary Mark Noe, and Treasurer David Wright.  New board member Greg Thomas was elected to  a full term on the board.  Members completing terms and willing to remain for another term are Maria Gustafson, Mark Noe, and immediate past-president Margie Shaw.

Plans to have a major book sale in the Spring, specifically April, were discussed and plans were tabled until the March meeting of the Board.




New Officers of the Friends of the Library Board of Directors are (left to right)

Mark Noe (Recording Secretary),
Patricia Shipman (President),
Dawn Counsil (Vice-President),
and David Wright (Treasurer).

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James V. Brown Library
19 East Fourth Street, Williamsport, PA 17701
570-326-0536