Recent Gifts to the Library

Friends Pledge $10,000 to New Campaign
At its annual meeting in January, the Friends of the Bethel Public Library pledged $10,000 to the Capital Campaign. The pledge is earmarked for furnishings and equipment in the Community Room. "The room was sponsored by the Friends with a gift of $7,500 during the library's first capital campaign, and we wanted to further demonstrate our support for this facility, which will be of great benefit not only to the library but to the community as a whole," said Jenny Tesar, president of the Friends.

The Community Room will be a multi-use facility on the library's main floor, suitable for talks, film screenings, art exhibits, panel discussions, and other programs. Comfortable stacking chairs and folding tables will allow differing configurations of the space. There will be a ceiling-mounted projector, motorized projection screen, telephone hook-ups for computer demonstrations, built-in coat racks, and a kitchenette.

Young Abe Gets A Make-Over
The bronze statue of Young Abe Lincoln on Horseback, which has graced the Library's courtyard for forty years, is back home after extensive restoration by ConservArt LLC of Hamden, CT. The project, paid for by the Friends, involved removal of residual coating, cleaning, removal of corrosion products, patination, and application of a new polyethylene-wax coating. The gift was valued at more than $5,000. The statue's re-installation was marked by a special ceremony on June 30, 2007, at which speakers included Bethel's First Selectman Robert Burke and Library Director Lynn Rosato.

New Bench Graces Shakespeare Garden
The Friends recently purchased a granite bench for the Shakespeare Garden on the Library Place side of the garden. The simple bench was chosen to complement the historic aspect of the plantings. This gift was valued at $400.

Local History Project
The Friends paid for the rebinding of several of the Library's rare books that are part of the Local History collection. This gift was valued at $500. The organization plans additional contributions in this area, including the replacement of certain items and the purchase of others.

Cleaner CDs and DVDs at the Bethel Public Library thanks to recent donation
January 11, 2007 - Equipment that cleans and greatly extends the life of CDs and DVDs has been purchased by the Friends of the Bethel Public Library and donated to the library. The VMI3500 Buffing Unit cleans and repairs scratched disks and makes them useable again. A single disk can be cleaned and repaired several times, expanding its lifespan greatly and saving the Library the cost of having to replace popular items so soon after they are purchased. Within a minute fingerprints and most scratches disappear and the disk looks and performs like new.