Campaign to Finish Library Receives Surprise Donation

At its 2011 Annual Meeting on Feb. 8, the Friends of the Bethel Public Library surprised the audience and library leaders with a $25,000 donation to the library’s Capital Campaign.

This donation leaves less than $74,000 to be raised to complete the $2.6 million campaign. It also marks the Friends the campaign’s second-largest donor; to date the Friends has given $54,781.68 to the campaign. Most of this money was raised through the Friends’ book sales, including an on-going sale of books from a case adjacent to the library’s circulation desk.

“A major impetus for our latest gift was the need to complete fundraising in the coming weeks, to enable construction to begin this spring,” Jenny Tesar said, outgoing president of the Friends. “We hope our donation will spur members of the Bethel community—individuals, families, organizations and businesses—to also give to the campaign.”

The well-attended Annual Meeting featured a presentation by cinematographer Corey Boutilier of Brookfield. Boutilier discussed independent filmmaking and showed clips from his latest project, the documentary film “P.T. Barnum: The Lost Legend.” This was the first public showing of material from the film. Boutilier also is the curator of an exhibit about the film, which is on display in the library through the end of February.

When completed, the funds of the campaign will go toward completing an Adult/Reference collection, the Teen Library and a Business/Technology Center. The children's section will be expanded on the main floor. The Seelye House will also have a local history Library on the main floor and staff offices on the second floor.

Donors who contribute $500 or more will receive a permanent plaque on the donor wall. In addition, there are naming opportunities from $5000 to $75,000 available.

To make a donation toward finishing the Bethel Public Library in time for the Library's Centennial celebration, please send a check payable to Bethel Public Library Capital Campaign to P.O. Box 1027, Bethel, CT, 06801. If you have any questions or would like to help with the Campaign please call the Board at 203-791-1010.

For more information, you can also contact Jenny Tesar, Friends of the Bethel Public Library (203-792-8237, jetesar@sbcglobal.net); Lynn Rosato, Director, Bethel Public Library (203-794-8756 lrosato@bethellibrary.org); or
Jane Bickford, Chair, Bethel Public Library Board of Directors (203-791-1810 jbkfrd@sbcglobal.net).