Powell River Public Library receives donation

qathet Friends of the Library Society has been operating for more than 30 years, and has raised more than $200,000 for Powell River Public Library (PRPL) over that time.

Although this is a huge feat for any group and an incredible amount of money to raise, the group is humble. On Friday, May 19, without much fanfare, the group met at the library and handed over a cheque for 12,000 dollars to chief librarian Rebecca Burbank.

“We are a support and advocacy group for the library,” said friends of the library president Jacquie Donaldson. “What we do is fundraising to support the library to get things they are not currently funded for.” 

The money will help purchase a technology for the visually impaired called a Victor Reader.

“It’s like a souped-up audio book,” said Donaldson.

The Victor Reader has an assistive tactile interface that is handheld. 

“It’s designed for the visually impaired to stop, start and go back to a page easily,” she added.

The technology will provide digital audio players for books, newspapers, web, radio, music and podcasts for readers with visual impairments. Most people who are visually impaired are unable to use a cell phone or use digital apps easily due to the nature of their design.

Another technology the society wants to purchase for the library to help out its child and youth programming is something called Cricut machines.

“The new machines will help with kids, youth, teens and other programs,” said Donaldson. “[Cricut] can cut paper into shapes, like clouds for example, or if they were learning about sea creatures the machine can help participants cut out different shapes.

“We are also wanting to purchase digital die-cutting machines for craft projects and signage.”

These types of purchases from outside groups helps save money for the library, which receives capital funding, but for purchasing technology and programming resources it usually has to fundraise or look for donations from outside sources.

Donaldson said she is president, but mostly just in name; in order to be a registered BC society, positions needed to be assigned.

“We run our society very equitably and inclusively,” said Donaldson.

Currently the registered society has seven people running the organization: Maureen Tierney, Jose Rodgers, Joyce Furness, Jacquie Donaldson, Julie Thorne, Lynda Harris and Brownie Brown. Donaldson wanted to give special praise to Brown, who was absent during the cheque hand-over.

“Brownie really has been a driving force in fundraising efforts,” said Donaldson. “She drove the Pump Up The Volumes fundraiser to help fill our new, bigger library, has been a tireless volunteer for many years, and basically runs our book sales.”  

After a referendum and many years of amalgamations and changes, on July 19, 2017, PRPL opened at its current location at Crossroads Village Shopping Centre. The group raised more than $70,000 to put toward the opening of the new library.

In the past, before the COVID-19 pandemic came along and disrupted many organizations’ ability to operate, Friends of the Library would hold giant book sales and auction off local artists’ artwork.

“In the past we have done big events, for example an 8x8 art sale,” said Donaldson. “We gave canvases that were 8x8 inches in size to local artists to create art on and then we auctioned them off.” 

The group also had local artists design chairs, which were auctioned off, with the proceeds going to qathet Friends of the Library Society.

Now its fundraising efforts are more low key, for now. The society still has book sales, but on a smaller size and booths at festivals and Powell River Farmers’ Market. 

“In the library we have a permanent book cube, with books for sale, all run by volunteers,” said Donaldson.

She understands that many folks wonder about the future of libraries because supposedly “no one reads” anymore, but the society sees the library as a community hub and a safe, inclusive space for people to go.

“The library is a place where people who may not have access to technology can access it,” said Donaldson. “There is programming for everyone here; it’s not just about books anymore, it’s a safe place for our community.”

According to the PRPL website, on the fourth Monday of every month, from 3 to 5 pm, the friends collect book donations from the community at the library. These books are sold to raise funds for services and initiatives