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Bloomsburg Public Library
225 Market St.
Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Make checks payable to ‘Friends of the BPL’

You can always drop your check off or make a cash donation in the red box when you visit the library!

Dear Friends of the Library,

I have just wrapped up my first year as the new steward of the Bloomsburg Public Library and the marvelous community of readers and lifelong learners that make this a very special place.

I feel blessed to be in just the right place at just the right time. I am drawing on my thirty years of library experience as well as my master’s degree in social ethics, my time working in social services, and my community organizing experience. I have loved working in Columbia County at the Traveling Library for eight years, and I hope to serve in this new role for many years to come. I am particularly excited to nurture the expanded mission of the library as a dynamic community center.

It has been a year of change at the library, but also a year of getting back to our roots as a community gathering space. I had a three-year plan and was surprised when members of the community stepped forward with ideas and offerings of time, talent, and treasure. I simply said “yes” and coordinated things a bit, and we did the three-year plan in one year! This was only made possible with an excellent staff, board, and volunteer team and strong support from our Friends of the Library organization and our new partners at the Columbia County Traveling Library and the Orangeville Public Library.

I am going to update you on some of the things we have done together over the past year, but first I want to appeal to you to make a financial contribution. We are counting on you. The library benefits from some state and local government funding, but not nearly enough. We have an endowment and some trusts, but they do not cover all of our costs either. We work to get grant funding, but that does not get us to where we need to be to serve the people well. We depend on YOU to raise about $100,000 every single year to be able to meet the minimal needs of the broad community we serve. Through the generosity of so many, we are close to the goal of meeting our budget needs for the year and putting in a new kitchen in the large community room on the second floor. We need to raise $10,000 to cover the cost of our new kitchen. Please help if you can. (And donate to partner libraries if possible – we all depend on local support!)

A young woman dressed as a reporter engaging in a conversation with two adults at the Murder Mystery event. They appear to be discussing or sharing information in a lively social setting. — Murder in the Library Fundraising Event

A group of adults standing attentively in a library setting, with international flags displayed above them. Some individuals are seated in the foreground, while others are standing near high-top tables, engaged in listening. — Murder in the Library Fundraising Event

A festive outdoor event featuring a group of people holding various country flags and microphones, participating in a cultural celebration. A woman in a traditional dress leads the group while standing near a purple tent. A crowd and urban buildings form the backdrop. — ¡Fiesta!

Children play under a colorful parachute during a group activity on a vibrant alphabet rug, laughing and enjoying the moment.

A group of children and Ms. Angie gather inside a castle-themed reading area in the library, with kids holding books and listening to a story. — Castle Van Tassel

A toddler wearing an orange shirt stands in a cozy reading nook, surrounded by cushions in a library setting with shelves of books and a couch in the background.

A table covered with a large selection of colorful children's books, with adults and children gathered around looking at and selecting books in a bright library space. — Summer Learning Finale

A lively outdoor storytime session under a purple tent. A group of children sit on colorful mats and cushions, attentively listening to a storyteller with open books in hand. Other people are browsing library information booths in the background. — Summer Learning Festival

Four adults are seated around a table playing bridge. They are engaged with cards, score pads, and card holders labeled "WBC." The setting appears to be a casual gathering in a well-lit room with additional tables and participants visible in the background. The atmosphere is focused and friendly. — Bridge Club

A theatrical scene with a woman sitting on a couch wearing gloves, framed by caution tape. She is a docent at the Murder Mystery event, with another person standing nearby, partially visible. — Murder in the Library Fundraising Event

Hal Pratt dressed as a leprechaun sitting cross-legged on the floor of the library, holding a wooden mallet and speaking to a group of children. Behind him are bookshelves and a table with props including a jug and small figurines. — Hal Pratt tells Leprechaun Lore.

A group of children and teens pose for a photo in a room with large windows and framed artwork on the walls. One person is dressed as a clown in a colorful costume, while others wear casual clothes or costumes. In the foreground, a table is set with trays of nachos, cheese, salsa, and other snacks. The atmosphere suggests a festive gathering or event. — Gaming Club

Families and children enjoy a sunny day in a park, interacting with inflatable play structures and a person in a red dragon costume. — Summer Learning Festival

A cozy tea party setup inside a library. Guests wearing festive attire sit at tables adorned with floral tablecloths and tea sets, enjoying tea and conversation. Bookshelves filled with books line the walls. — The Ivy Club Tea

A woman pointing towards a shelf in a library aisle while holding a booklet, with a man standing behind her also holding a booklet. The scene is framed by bookshelves on both sides, and caution tape partially crosses the foreground. From the library's Murder Mystery event. — Murder in the Library Fundraising Event

A library exhibit featuring artifacts like a cat mummy and statues is on display, with a crowd of people mingling in the background. — Murder in the Library Fundraising Event

Murder in the Library photos by Elizabeth Deroba

Here are some highlights from the past year!

Expanded hours to Monday-Thursday 9am-8pm and Friday-Saturday 9am-4pm
Eliminated overdue fines and the required membership fee for rural county residents
Entered a formal partnership with the Traveling Library and Orangeville Public Library
Combined our catalogs so you have access to 100,000+ books etc. instead of 40,000+
Added Comics Plus for thousands of online graphic novels
Added Kanopy Plus for streaming video, including thousands of educational videos for kids
Strengthened our connections with school districts and preschools
Had record-breaking participation in our summer learning program with partner libraries
Made a number of small renovations to the library to make it easier to use
Implemented the new large community room where the Historical Society used to be
Started an after-school gaming program with 30+ pre-teens every Tuesday and Thursday
Received a grant to add a pre-teen library club after school on Wednesdays in 2025
Expanded overall programming to 100 programs per month (up from 20) with about 1500 visits for programs every month
Added Bridge Club, Chess Club, Dungeons and Dragons, Tai Chi, Book Chat, Silent Book Club, and Movie Night to the Traditional Mahjong, American Mah Jongg, and Yarnies programs
Hired three social workers who are working with seniors, pre-teens, and folks experiencing financial insecurity and interpersonal conflict, using a “bibliotherapy” framework
Started a Grief Support program and a weekly Civic Conversations program to discuss the news of the week from different perspectives as part of the social work initiative
Hired a Digital Literacy Educator to offer technology classes and one-on-one computer help for seniors and others, including Spanish speakers
Initiated a weekly gathering time for Spanish speakers and held the first annual ¡Fiesta!
Added 40 volunteers working 100 hours per week and four work-study students working 60 hours per week, as well as an AmeriCorps service member working 40 hours per week
Developed working partnerships with many non-profits with shared missions

We have other exciting things on the horizon in 2025, including an English as a Second Language program, a dementia support program, and a Pinochle Club, as well as our pre-teen library club on Wednesdays and a homework help afterschool option starting in the fall. If anyone knows of businesses who would like to contribute as a part of a tax credit program in which they get most of their donation back, we hope to create that possibility. The library feels like a magical place, but the funding is not magic. We can only do it with your support. Thanks for making so many dreams come true for our beloved community!

Ammon Young, Library Director

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Here are some highlights from the past year!

Bloomsburg Public Library

Hours