Friends of the Olympia Library

Visit the Timberland Libraries this summer for a passport to adventure! Pick up a passport at any Timberland Library in Thurston, Lewis, Grays Harbor, Mason, and Pacific counties. Then get your passport stamped at as many of the 27 libraries as you can before September 12. Starting September 13, bring in your stamped passport to be entered into a drawing for great prizes! Check out the complete details.

Join us Saturday June 19 1pm – 5pm for a free block party! Children’s authors, free books, puppet show, hands-on activities and lots more. The event will be held on 9th Ave by the library. Download an Imagination Celebration poster (PDF).

This event was sponsored in part by the Friends.

The Volunteer Center of Lewis, Mason & Thurston Counties is giving out awards to exceptional volunteers at the “Voluntonies” on Friday, May 21. Mary Belz, the president of the board of the Friends of the Library, was nominated for the “Lead with Experience” award. She will be receiving an honorable mention. Find out more about this event.

Also, Mary was on KGY 1240AM radio this morning with Olympia Branch Manager Cheryl Heywood to talk about the library and the Friends. (If you heard it, let us know!)

The Olympia Library Knitting Group welcomes beginning and experienced, teen and adult knitters to join us every Thursday, 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. for free instruction and lively conversation.

The Friends of the Olympia Library will be holding their next Book Sale on February 6 and 7. This is a great opportunity to support the operation of your local library. All of the proceeds from the books sale go to local programming at the Olympia Library and support the health of the library.

A Friends members’ pre-sale will start at 8 a.m. on Saturday. Anyone can renew or purchase a membership at that time.

What: Friends of the Olympia Library Book Sale

When: Saturday, February 6, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Members pre-sale starts at 8 a.m.
Sunday, February 7, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Olympia Timberland Library
313 8th Avenue SE
Olympia, WA

The Friends of the Olympia Library will be hosting a series of Art Shows and Sales so you can support both the local artistic community and your library.

Friday, December 4
4pm to 8pm
Saturday, December 5
9am to 4:30 pm

Artists:

• Amy Fisher
• Lois Beck
• Susan Fox
• Mimi Williams
• Maitri Sejourner
• Ann Storey
• June Kerseg-Hinson
• Ron Hinson
• Janice Danielson
• Martin Kimmeldorf
• Amy Thomas
• Tom Greason
• Hugh Buchholz

Friday, December 11
3pm to 8pm

Artists:

• Carrie Cores-Monroy
• Janie McRae
• Dory Nies
• Maureen Murphy
• Charles Schwab
• Peggy Sue King
• Deanna Johnson
• Toni Lawrence
• Chandra Rhinehart
• Margit Brennan
• Bill Dawson

Friday, December 18
3pm to 8 pm
Saturday, December 19
9am to 4:30 pm

Artists:

• Nancy Hall
• Dayton K. Knipher
• Dee McDonald
• Dorisjean Colvin
• Mia Schulte
• Jan Schraeder
• Marion Pollmann
• Michael Eberhard
• Douglas Smith
• Laurie McGinley
• Randi Parkhurst
• Cora Regoza-Tunberg

Thirty-six artists are participating in this fundraiser for the library. There will be a different group of artists on each weekend. For each show there will be a nice mix of different media: paintings, photography, fine pottery, jewelry, glass and glass painting and more. Many of the established artists we contacted agreed to do this event just to help out the library. Hurray for our community! So come see the work, meet the artists and support your library while doing your holiday shopping.

We also have a great raffle piece of a beautiful hooked wall hanging, donated by a wonderful artist from Nova Scotia who had heard about our first-time effort. One of her rugs was chosen by the family for a British Royal Wedding as a gift.

Come to the Book Sale October 3 and 4 to pick up some great books for low prices and help raise money for Friends of the Library and library programs.

October 3: 10 am – 4 pm. Members get in at 8am to get the best selection.

October 4: 1 – 4pm. (Library closed, but the sale is open.)

The next Friends Book Sale will be Saturday October 3 and Sunday October 4. We’ll have lots of great books at amazing prices…all proceeds go to benefit Olympia Library programs and facilities. Don’t forget the members-only presale: 8-10am on Saturday!

And make a note of the 2010 Sales: Feb. 6 & 7, June 12 & 13 (Father’s day is June 20), and October 2 & 3.

This weekend’s Olympia Comics Festival will include a book signing by Derek Kirk Kim and Gene Luen Yang, creators of the graphic novel “The Eternal Smile.” Come to the library Friday, 5:30 – 7 p.m. to meet the author/artists, talk about their work, or have your copy signed.

Library staff will also be at the expo on Saturday (noon – 5 p.m. at the Vault)…come say hi to Kelsey if you’re there! All events are free. The Friday night event and the library’s booth on Saturday are sponsored in part by the Friends of the Olympia Library. 

Read more in The Olympian, on the Olympia Comics Festival website, or on the TRL website.