2016 Year in Review: Point Roberts Friends of the Library

By Judy Ross and Rose Momsen

2016: Full of ups and downs for the fundraising committee. We began with having raised $540,000, the 2011 estimated cost to build a new library, followed by our architect’s report on cost increases over five years, now $840,000. The park and recreation district placed a $300,000 levy on the ballot requiring a 60 percent yes vote to pass. The final vote showed Yes votes slightly over 55 percent. It lost by about 35 votes even though a majority of Point Roberts voters supported the levy.

Plan B. We have received several large donation offers that would make a renewed fundraising effort possible. We have met with the park and recreation commission and with Whatcom County Library System (WCLS), our two partners in this project, to review the options for a plan to move forward as originally planned. We hope to finalize it by early January. Keep tuned.

Many of you have contacted us over the past six weeks, urging us to pursue a Plan B and pledging continued financial support. A library is a community treasure, and having a new library, a legacy to those who will follow us here, may be especially meaningful just because it has been a challenge that we will have overcome together.

The support committee puts on used book sales to cover incidental costs in the library. This year we used those funds for fun giveaway bookmarks, posters for the bulletin boards, children’s magazine subscriptions and refreshments for the WCLS children’s programs (Valentine’s, mask-making, Let’s Make Presents and a few others).

The fabulous Welcome Marionettes performance this summer was our big event. We can always use more volunteers who want to help our library. We meet at noon on the second Tuesday of each month or contact rose.momsen@wcls.org for more information.