Holiday Book Sale and Other Events

The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library began their annual holiday book sale this week (starting November 19. The sale, which features gift-quality hardcover books for the most part, as well as CDs and DVDs and other items, will run until December 26, fittingly known as Boxing Day, since the Friends will on that day box up the remaining books and return them to storage until the Book Fair (April 30 to May 2 in 2010).

Speaking of Dates, there are a couple more fundraisers for Building Expansion coming up. As you may recall, we had successful fundraisers in September (Barnes & Noble's Pleasant Valley Library Weekend), in October (Pleasant Valley Library Night at Pizzeria Uno), and in November (the Helen Avakian, Terry Champlin concert). These raised nearly $2,000 after expenses. The next fundraiser is the pancake breakfast at Chile's on December 5, which will be followed by a Pleasant Valley Library Night at Chile's on January 11 or January 12--date to be finalized soon. The details of these two events will be sent out to our email list (to be a part of it, email Daniela at danielapulice@hotmail.com and she will gladly add you), but I will also provide blog posts with more details as they come to me.

The Helen Avakian and Terry Champlin concert was an amazing success artistically as well as in every other way. The Building Expansion Fundraising Committee owes a big debt of gratitude to Sue MacNish, who organized the event, even providing the flowers that decorated the stage at the Pleasant Valley Presbyterian Church. The Friends of the Pleasant Valley Library brought forth wonderful cookies, brownies, and other snacks, while Adams Fairacre Farms provided cheese and crackers, washed down with wonderful fresh apple cider, a gift from Terhune Orchards. The music was simply wonderful. You have never heard Rhapsody in Blue completely until you have heard Helen's steel guitar version. Everyone there seemed to me to have a wonderful evening.

We are hoping to have the next concert in the series in February or March. Many details are to be worked out, but it appears that the next one might be jazz instead of folk, although Irish music is also in the picture. I will keep you informed as it develops.