Fleetwood Area Public Library celebrated its 25th anniversary with local patrons at the Fleetwood Community Center on Friday, April 17 from 5 to 7 p.m.
With help from local sponsors, the library provided food and refreshments, door prizes, and activities and books for children. According to library director Stephanie Williams, Massimo’s donated pizza, Boyer’s Food Markets provided cupcakes, and the cake came from a “friend” of the library. Among other sponsors and donors were Redner’s Markets, Clover Farms, Damiani Plumbing, Brian Tennies and Linford Weber Counseling.
Door prizes included a $20 Firefly Bookstore gift card, a children’s gift basket donated by Williams, and an adult beverage basket donated by Jim Lynch and his wife.
“The community has been extremely supportive through donations to fund this birthday party tonight as well as always coming to the library to participate in various events [in] our community,” Williams said.
The library’s Board of Trustees members JoAnne Foering and Sara Hess estimate that more than 125 people attended the celebration.
Children were invited to play games such as Twister, ring toss, and bean bag toss, as well as take turns in the bounce house provided by Tumble ‘N Bounce.
The Friends of the Fleetwood Area Public Library, a group that supports and donates to the library, brought complimentary children’s books. According to Williams, the group is also hosting a book sale from Thursday, April 30 to Saturday, May 2. Opening night is April 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. in the library. Books range from 50 cents to $2. Proceeds benefit the library and its children’s programs, especially the summer reading program on June 15.
Dolores Eastland, an attendee at the party, said that “the library is a great asset,” which is exemplified by “the families coming out to enjoy the activities.”
“It benefits all of my boys with books,” said mother of three Ashley Grebe of the library’s importance. When she asked her children what they liked about the library, they generally said the Lego display.
Ze Rong She, who brought children from her family, agreed about children liking the Legos. She learned about the 25th celebration from her neighbor, who is involved with the library.
“My neighbor told me because [the] children like [the] library,” she said, noting that the children go often during the summer.
Jennifer Schwegler is also a frequent visitor at the library, “We come once a week with my daughter.” As for the 25th celebration, she said, “I think it’s great that they’re doing this for the community.”
Aside from celebrating 25 years, the library recently changed its logo at Kutztown University’s Designathon in late March. Williams said that the circulation software is fully automated now, facilitating the check in, check out and requesting items processes.
According to Williams, the library is open 51 hours per week and serves the Fleetwood Borough, Richmond Township and Maidencreek Township. It has seven staff members and eight people on its Board of Trustees. Williams has been its director for more than one year.
The library’s roots date back to 1989, according to a scrapbook compiled by library staff. Some community members wanted to start a library, and that motivation strengthened with a successful summer reading program held by the Berks County Library System. The GWFC Woman’s Club of Fleetwood voted to start a library, and it appointed the Board of Trustees. It received a permanent home in the Fleetwood Community Center, 110 West Arch St., formerly Fleetwood Area Middle School.
“It’s very gratifying to see people still coming,” said JoAnne Foering, a trustee with the library almost consistently from its beginning.
“It started off as a tiny… room in the middle school and look where we are now,” said Flo Weber, a library clerk working there for 17 years.
Williams sees the library’s progress up to the 25th year as significant, since it started in a small room and now fills three former classrooms. When the library started up, it received 500 items from community donations. Today the number of items in circulation approaches 30,000.
“Our shelves are literally bursting at the seams,” she said.
Looking forward, Williams hopes to see the library expand.
“More space would enable us to host more programs as well as provide space for quiet study,” she said.
For more information about the library, visit http://www.berks.lib.pa.us/sfl/.
