City libary to expand
Friends Of The Library raised $155,000 to pay for the expansion.
Three years of used book sales, garage sales, holiday basket auctions and Sock Hops combined to fulfill a pledge made by the Friends of the Bella Vista Library.
On July 12, the Friends organization donated $155,000 to the Bella Vista Library Foundation.
The Foundation has been raising money to expand the library since 2011, when a plan was drawn up for an addition that includes a large community room and space for a children’s library. When the city took over the library in 2014, the building became the property of the Foundation, while the furnishings and collections became the property of the city. The fundraising continued.
At a reception to announce the donation, Bella Vista Mayor Peter Christie promised the city would pay for furnishing the new addition.
Foundation president Susan Santos told the Friends that she had two ways to thank them for
the donation. First, she said, a plaque will hang in the new addition. Second, the new community room will be named in honor of the Friends of the Bella Vista Library.
Santos isn’t ready to announce the start of construction. The funds must be available before construction begins, she said from the very beginning. She did say she hopes that announcement will come soon.
The Friends won’t stop fundraising, president Janel Stryker said. The next big fundraiser — the annual Sock Hop is already scheduled for September — but they may slow down a little.