With the opening of the renovated and expanded Sequim Library on the near horizon, some of its biggest supporters say continued support for Friends of Sequim Library (FOSL) is in urgent need.
The nonprofit that makes annual donations to the library through proceeds at its monthly book sale now seeks sponsors to support its permanent storefront in Rock Plaza at 10175 Old Olympic Highway in Sequim.
Board members announced last year that they signed a lease for the space to continue their monthly sales on the second Saturday of every month.
According to Kat Huelskamp, FOSL’s board secretary, they sought free or cheaper options but the monthly rent and overhead expenses of about $2,000 was the best and cheapest option available after previously having no rent.
Now with a new website — friendsofsequimlibrary.org — board members said they seek patron and business sponsorships to keep their annual library donation consistent with years past.
“This sponsorship program will help us to stay here in this building and do what we do and contribute to the library because right now we don’t make enough money to do both,” Huelskamp said.
“If we had to stay here and pay rent from our sales exclusively, we could probably give the library about half every year what we normally give them … and that’s if we had a good year.”
Annually, the library requests about $25,000 from FOSL typically for various programming, she said
Huelskamp said they plan to fund the Sequim Library’s request this year despite now paying rent.
“Our goal is not to pay rent,” she said. “Our goal is to provide finances to the library.”
Laurie Tanguay of Lobo Designs created FOSL’s new website that board members say is credit card safe to accept monthly sponsorships from $5 to $100 to support FOSL. Business sponsorships are also available with donors recognized and linked on the website and recognized in the storefront.
FOSL Board President Pam Erb said sponsorships are dollars they can count on.
She said they’ll continue to look for other free or cheaper rental options, but have found the current location central and easy for people to find. In the summer, they received a large donation that also included 14 bookcases that she said has helped FOSL’s store look more like a store.
Organizers said they’re also exploring purchasing and/or using provided land to place a portable building if possible, but it could take all of FOSL’s reserves to make the purchases.
“But we don’t want to get into that money to do something like that, and then still be in the same spot we’re in (financially),” Erb said. “Because that’s where we would be. We would rather just say, ‘Call it a day, guys. We gave it our best shot’ (and) as much as we all love being here, I don’t want to do it just to pay the rent.”
Donation/volunteer options
Donations of books, music, movies, puzzles, games, and other media are accepted from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays at Rock Plaza, except for the Wednesday before the sale.
The next sale is set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14.
“We have a lot of people who just really care about their old books and they want them to go to a nice home and that’s what our job is,” Erb said.
FOSL also makes donations to other nonprofits such as Shipley Center for its annual sale, and to teachers and homeschool families, organizers said.
This year, FOSL is continuing Members Only sales from 3 p.m.-6 p.m. March 12, June 11, Sept. 10, and Dec. 10 at the store.
As of the press deadline, they have nearly 200 members, and encourage people to sign up at the website or at a sale for $10 as an individual or $20 for a family. All members receive a punch card with an incentive of $5 to spend at the sale.
FOSL has 20 active volunteers who provide about 460 hours a month, organizers said.
They continue to seek volunteers, including people with fundraising backgrounds.
Reach Friends of Sequim Library at friendsofsequimlibrary@gmail.com.
Volunteer Barbara Erler sorts books for the Friends of Sequim Library’s annex in the back of its storefront in Rock Plaza.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ Organizers of Friends of Sequim Library seek ongoing sponsorships to support their storefront in Rock Plaza as they’ve started paying rent to use the space.
Sequim Gazette photo by Matthew Nash/ The next sale for the Friends of Sequim Library is set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at 10175 Old Olympic Highway in Rock Plaza. Proceeds support the Sequim Library.
