Friends of the Valatie Library

"The way to have a friend is to be a friend."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Though dated by its slightly sexist language, the idea expressed in this bookplate is as true today as the day it was pasted into the collection of book lover Andrew Carnegie.

The Friends of the Valatie Library are dedicated to the preservation of that magic. As volunteers, we help raise money, support programs, and advocate to ensure that our community understands the importance of its library.

The Valatie Library is small in size but large in vision. Our goal as Friends is to support the Library in its efforts to meet the growing and changing service needs of the area. By donating to the Friends, you will help to support the information needs of every citizen in this area. Better yet, join us, and help preserve the magic.

What Are Friends For?

The Friends of the Valatie Library formed in 2000 to serve as an advocacy group for the library. Through contributions and volunteer assistance, Friends help the library sponsor special programs, purchase needed equipment and materials, and expand book collections.

Friends Make a Difference

Our primary fundraising activity is our annual Book Sale. Members also volunteer to help promote and stage special events and other projects. Special programs sponsored by the Friends include the Valatie History Tour and related activities designed to promote the awareness of our community’s unique history and heritage. The Friends also plan to provide funds for equipment, materials and programs at our library.

And Have Fun

In addition to helping the library, Friends have many opportunities to explore special interests and programs.

Like books?

  • Volunteer to help with the Friends’ annual book sale.

My childhood library was small enough not to be intimidating. And yet I felt the whole world was contained in those two rooms.

- Rita Dove

Want to meet authors and plan programs?

  • Help organize programs featuring local authors and personalities.

Like to travel?

  • Many Friends Groups arrange travel and touring activities to complement the educational activities of the libraries they serve.

There are many things to do and Friends do them all! All it takes is imagination and the willingness to get things done. We are a new organization and would love to have your suggestions for future initiatives.

We must not think of learning as only what happens in schools. It is an extended part of life. The most readily available resource for all of life is our public library system.

- David McCullough

Contact the Friends in care of:

The Valatie Free Library
P.O. Box 336
3203 Church Street
Valatie, NY 12184

Phone: 518 758-9321

Email: friends@valatielibrary.org

The richest person in the world - in fact all the riches in the world - couldn't provide you with anything like the endless, incredible loot available at your local library. You can measure the awareness, the breadth and the wisdom of a civilization, a nation, a people, by the priority given to preserving these repositories of all that we are, all that we were, or will be.

- Malcolm Forbes

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