By Kevin J Sabo
For the Lacombe Express
Lacombe’s Mary C. Moore Library has had a successful fund-raising effort of late, with the release of calendars produced in partnership with a local photographer.
So far, response to the calendars has been positive, with over half of the 1000 calendars produced being sold so far.
“We’ve sold them to people who haven’t lived here in 40 years,” said Head Librarian and Library Manager Christina Petrisor.
“We’ve had calendars shipped to Northern-Ireland, England, Vancouver, and all over Canada.”
The calendars, being sold at $20 each, are being sold to replenish the libraries reserves, which have been strained over the last year due to work in the library. In 2019, the library spent $20,000 on an enhancement to the facilities shelving, which was self-funded through reserve funds. In 2020, with the Covid-19 Pandemic hitting the world, another project was completed, this time the creation of three new workstations, allowing each team member working at the library to have their own space.
“We need to start working on replenishing reserve funds, as well as diversifying revenue streams in 2021,” said Petrisor.
“We have to rethink how we are going to fund-raise. Generating revenue is in the regulations and the (library) act. It’s going to get a bit tricky, but we have to learn the new reality until (things get) back to a new normal.”
The images in the calendars are all taken by local photographer Travis Johnson, which he donated to the library for the calendars.
The calendars are available for purchase at the Library and at Lacombe Central Storage. If you haven’t gotten your calendar yet, the library staff are providing contactless curb-side service at the staff entrance Monday through Friday from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m, and 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturdays, and plan to re-open to inside service as soon as they are notified by the province that they can.
The library staff are also shipping the calendars to where they need to go for a small additional cost of $3.50 for one calendar to pay for postage. Otherwise, people are welcome to call the library to make other arrangements.
“Call. If you are home-bound, call the library, and I will find a way to get you a calendar,” said Petrisor.
“Once you get a calendar, it is so well worth it. It displaces our community in an amazing light.”
The library can be contacted at 403-782-3433.