Library Fair, a Multi-ring Circus, Draws All to the Village Green this Saturday!

50 Shades of Hot Buys at the 2010 Library Fair. This year, the Library Fair is Saturday, Aug. 11 at the Village Green in Eastsound.

It rained twice (2003 and 2007), but the Friends of the Library’s annual Library Fair lures Friends of all interests — stories, song, art, food, crafts, travel, the good life — and most of all friends neighbors and friends of friends to roam the Village Green and enjoy life on Orcas Island.

This year, the 56th Annual Library Fair will be more of the same, emphasis on “more.”

Book Sale
The Friends of the Library, a non-profit group, has sorted, stored, displayed and sold 15,000 to 20,000 in recent years. The Book Sale will begin at 10 a.m., though those who want to be “first in line” may want to get in place earlier. The book sale ends at 3 p.m.

Booths
Over 35 booths again boast of an copious variety of riches:

• Food: Pizza, BBQ, Burgers, sno cones, water
• Arts and crafts, clothes and products:
  canvas & sailcloth Bags, knits, feather hair extensions,plants, garden art, Bobbex deer repellant, tile work, watercolors, T-shirts, cards, CDs, cupcakes, hats, jewelry, baskets, beads, stones, photography and wood-working.
• International bazaar:Asian handicrafts, Nepalese imports, Guatemalan crafts
• Kids booths, with a top product charge of $5, will sell items such as cookies, pictures printed into notecards, manicures, and games. The kids keep their profits.

And what would a Library Fair be without books, brochures, Tarot readings and even a chat room, or kibbitzing chamber?

Art Auction

he art auction, directed by Sue Lamb and Jacqueline Kempfer, features donated artwork on display in the public library’s conference room until Fair Day. Then it will be on exhibition at the Art Tent on the Village Green for silent bidding until 1:30 p.m.

Entertainment

Musical Entertainment  throughout the day, arranged by Leslie Seamans, will include Kailley Grantham who is a flutist, accompanied by Ron Meyers who is her grandfather; Dylan Craigle, vocalist and Jazz Lund, Martin Lund’s daughter, guitar-player and vocalist.

The Saturday Farmer’s Market will move into North Beach Road for the day.

All proceeds from book sales and booth rental fees go to Friends’ projects, in recent years including:

• Landscaping improvements
• Summer Reading Program support
• Library Intern sponsorship
• Hearing Assistance system for the library meeting room
• “Orcas Reads” discussion groups and performances
• Display racks and expansion of the music CD collection
• Talks by regional authors
• Laminating machine
• “Money Smart Week” programs
• DVD resurfacing machine
• Elementary school and middle school book clubs
• “Black History Month” events
• New York Times newspaper subscription
• “Orcas StoryFest” performers and programs
• Moveable shelving for the children’s area
• Memorial book purchases
• “April Poetry Month” readings, classes, and lectures
• Grant for Library workroom expansion and new heat pumps
• Halloween books for kids
• English as a Second Language class support
• Sunday Hours

Last year the Library Fair netted $10,000. Sandy Wilson, Friends of the Library Board member, says, “This year, we are planning activities to join the rest of the library staff in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the current library building.”

Friends of the Library Board members are: Lynn Carter, Treasurer; Allayne Goodheart; Pierrette Guimond, President; James Lobdell; Tim Lunde; Kathy Morris; Jean Soderquist, Secretary; Jim Wiemeyer; Sandy Wilson; and Valerie West, Vice President.