News from PG Friends
Donate now to give Bucks for Books.
The Friends of the Pacific Grove Public Library helps ensure that the library is a thriving community center for discovery and lifelong learning. Our Monterey County Gives! Big Idea, Bucks for Books, aims to raise money to support acquisition of new library materials for the newly renovated library. Due to declining city revenue from Covid-19, the P.G. Public Library’s budget is down 37 percent this year. People of all ages want and need library books and other materials now more than ever. In 2019, the Pacific Grove Public Library circulated more than 250,000 print, video, audio and electronic materials. The library hopes to be able to continue lending from a robust collection, especially when people need it most.
Dear Friends of the Library
Although the Friends Dine Out and Friends in-person book sales are still indefinitely postponed, we have good news for used book buyers. And PG Library patrons.
The Friends book sale returns - online!
We now have two ways you can buy gently used books from the Friends through our website:
- With your online Books by the Bag purchase you'll receive a bag of curated books, in one or two genres, for contact-less pick up at St Mary's Church or contact-less delivery to your home. More information at books-bag
- Prefer to pick out your own books? Visit our Friends Amazon and Abebooks online bookstores to choose from over 400 titles, with mail delivery.
Two Pacific Grove Public Library services are returning, as well!
- The curbside book drop reopens in its usual spot, next to the Library by Jewell Park, on Monday, September 28. All returned materials will be quarantined before being available for holds.
- Library holds pickups at the PG Library will begin Wednesday, October 21, and will be available two days per week - Mondays from 3 to 6 pm and Wednesdays from 10 am to 1 pm. Holds can be placed online.
Reference and other questions will continue to be answered via phone or email. The Library will expand days and hours as more staffing is restored.
Enjoy a taste of fall from our generous PG restaurant Friends through "take out or distanced dining" at Victorian Corner, Wild Fish Restaurant, Taste Bistro, The Red House Cafe, Petra Cafe, Peppers Mexicali Cafe, Pacific Thai Cuisine, Inc., Max's Grill, La Mia Cucina, Il Vecchio and the Beach House at Lovers Point.
Be safe, be well, please vote and keep reading!
Kim Bui
Friends President
Are you missing our First Saturday Book Sales as much as we are? During this time of Shelter-in-Place we would like to offer weekly contactless “Books by the Bag” until we can safely reopen.
Here is how to order, pay online and pick up:
- Order your bag here.
- Pay online: $20 per Big Bag or $10 per Basic Bag.
- Select your genre(s).
- Wait for our email letting you know your bag of books is ready for outdoor, contactless pick-up.
- Put on your face-covering and come to St. Mary’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, on the 13th Street side, above Central Avenue. We will have your bag(s) waiting for you!
- Read and enjoy!
Details:
- Beginning September 29, pick-up times are 10 am – 12 pm on Tuesdays and Fridays.
- Please give us one week to select and prepare your bag of books.
- All books have been quarantined during these months. All volunteers will sanitize and wear face coverings.
- If you are unable to pick-up books because of health issues we offer delivery service for an extra $5.00, but only in Pacific Grove.
At this time, we still cannot accept book donations or returns.
Library Renewal Project construction is complete, and the move back into the Library building has started! Read the City's latest update here.
July's Lego Challenge!
DEADLINE: July 31st 2020
CHALLENGE: Create a new method of transportation that is environmentally friendly.
SUBMIT: Please take a picture by the deadline and submit it to ysdesk@cityofpacificgrove.org. Your picture will be added to the Gallery.
Dear Friends of the Library:
Thanks to Council leadership, and three meetings of public input, a $116,000 increase for the 2020/2021 Library budget was approved at Wednesday's (June 24) Council meeting. Your voices were heard, and made a difference!
This added funding will restore three 3/4 time regular positions, including the children's librarian, to the Library this fall and December. This increase will allow limited library services to resume when all six staff are in place.
As Friends, we will advocate for a speedy resumption of Library services as soon the Library is moved back into the completed Renewed Library, and as soon as the State allows in-person Library service.
We very much hope that Library services will begin earlier this fall, rather than later. December is too long to wait! We all miss our Library, its collections and services, and its wonderful staff, so much.
Our Summer newsletter will have more updates on the Friends and the Library, as well as our annual listing of our current members, Friends and Foundation donors. It should be coming your way in early July.
These are unprecedented times, the very rainiest of rainy days, for our residents and for the Library. The Friends are here to help. We will continue to work with the City, Foundation, Library Board and staff to support PG Library services to meet community needs and community demand.
Kim Bui
President
Enjoy the Summer Reading Program show again or watch it for
the first time on YouTube!
The future of the Pacific Grove Public Library is clearer than it was two weeks ago, thanks to the City Council's request for a "ramp up" funding increase to the City budget. Your voices were heard!
At their June 17 meeting the Council will receive a proposed $116,000 Library increase beginning in the second quarter of the 2020/2021 fiscal year. This will add two 3/4 time Library employees, starting in October, and one 3/4 time Library employee, starting in December, to the three remaining Library staff.
The Friends Board applauds this important first step toward restoring Library services, given the City's current financial situation. We thank the Council for their leadership and continued support for the Library. We recognize the Council and staff's commitment to monitor the budget, and make adjustments as feasible.
We know the remaining Library staff are working hard to move from the Holman back to 550 Central, ensure State health and safety requirements, and develop a new model for limited Library service with 50% less staff when our wonderful renewed library is allowed to reopen.
With Council approval of this increased budget recommendation, and bringing back staff as soon as possible, I believe we are much closer to having in person Library services return to Pacific Grove.
For now:
If you'd like to contact the Council and City staff before Wednesday's meeting via email citycouncil@cityofpacificgrove.org, dave@laredolaw.net, heidi@laredolaw.net
If you'd like to send me any additional comments or thoughts via email FriendsPGLib@gmail.com
You can stay informed by watching the twice monthly City Council and quarterly Library Board meetings online. Our website, and quarterly Friends newsletters, will provide more information on Friends and Library activities, and opportunities to help.
The Friends Board will maintain our partnership with the City, the Foundation, and the Library Board to advance the future of the Library for our community. As always, thank you for being a Friend of the Pacific Grove Public Library!
Kim Bui
Friends President
Dear Friends members,
The future of library service in Pacific Grove will be reviewed by the City Council this week (Wed. Jun. 3). It looks grim. And sadly familiar.
A cut of over 50% is recommended for the Library budget, with little to no funds for new books and materials.
Only three employees are recommended for funding. 14 employees have been cut from the 17 that served us last year.
These cuts are devastating to the Library we love, and the hundreds of people of all ages who used it every day.
Over a decade ago, in a down economy, Pacific Grove stopped its library expansion, threatened closure of the library, and eliminated much of the staff.
The Friends led the charge to stop the closure. Children’s Librarian Lisa Maddalena remembers “Children emptied their piggy banks and held lemonade stands to raise money for the library. Citizens came out in droves to support the library.” The Council heard the public. The Library was saved.
A decade later, the long-delayed Library Renewal is nearly complete. The move back from the Holman is planned for this summer, with reopening to follow.
With the cuts as proposed, how can our wonderful renewed library reopen this fall?
As a Friend, you know the Library’s importance to our community:
- to the patrons counting down the days until Shelter in Place ends and they can return
- to those with limited budgets, who rely on library resources, and computers, now more than ever
- to elderly people, for whom the welcoming staff may have been the only human contact that day.
Our library is the heart of our community for people of all ages. The staff encourage children’s literacy, lifelong learning, the joy of reading. They create student success (more essential now with school closures), bring parents together, support families, residents, local businesses, the unemployed, newcomers and visitors.
What services can three staff hope to provide after such drastic cuts, especially under stringent new health requirements?
Our library’s staff and resources are critical to helping our neighbors survive these tough economic times. Without them, what will our community do?
Now is the time to speak up for our Library, to share your support for the Library with our elected officials and City staff, to make your voice heard.
Below is a link to the Wednesday, June 3, 6 pm, Council Agenda report (Item 11E) and instructions on how to to view the meeting online:
https://www.cityofpacificgrove.org/about-city/city-council/current-meetings
Below is are the email addresses to contact the Mayor, City Council and City staff online:
citycouncil@cityofpacificgrove.org
dave@laredolaw.net
heidi@laredolaw.net
Your comments can also be emailed to me (FriendsPGLib@gmail.com) to be sent to the Mayor and City Council.
I have let the Mayor and Council know that, in these unprecedented times, with difficult decisions to be made, the Friends will continue to support the Library as we can.
Thank you for being a Friend of the Pacific Grove Public Library. As before, our Library needs you!
Kim Bui
President