On July 12, Sedona Public Library gratefully received a$20,000 gift from the Friends of The Sedona Library for the new Courtyard. This gift dedicates the seating area around the fireplace in the new Courtyard due to open in August. The Friends’ Fire Circle will warm the hearts and hands of community members on chilly days and will serve as a wonderful location for presentations, gatherings, and meetings. Most importantly, the Friends’Fire Circle exemplifies the strong relationship between the Library and the Friends.
Donna Hawk, Friends of the Sedona Library Treasurer agrees. “Our two organizations have been joined together for more than five decades. Now, we are joining together to create a beautiful new outdoor Courtyard that will extend the reach of Sedona Public Library as a key, citizen-oriented, community hub. The Friends are honored to, as it has so many times in the past, show off this connection by making this donation.”
Many thanks also go out to Gordon Reiter and the Carroll Family Foundation who have both shown their enthusiasm for this lovely outdoor space with substantial donations. Libraries are a tremendous way for a community to defineitself, and this new Courtyard defines Sedona aptly: a place where residents honor each other and the landscape where they live.
Judy Poe, Library Director, couldn’t agree more. “The Library is defined by this community and vice versa. The Friends’gift demonstrates our symbiotic relationship. The Library simply wouldn’t be the stalwart community center that it is today if it wasn’t for the Friends and other donors who have supported us for many years,” explained Judy.
We learned how distinctly Sedona needed a space like this in a Community Needs Assessment we conducted in 2020. In conversations with dozens of residents, we heard again and again that Sedona wanted an outdoor meeting space that they could call their own. What better place than the Library to make this wish come true. Welcome to YOUR Courtyard!
Courtyard construction progresses at a rapid pace this summer with crews working long hours and in between monsoon storms. The 18,000-square-foot Courtyard, scheduled to open late in August, includes a huge patio with not only the Friends’ Fire Circle but a stage, a sunken conversation area, plenty of seating, strong Wi-Fi, and thousands of pavers.
In fact, you can show your pride in your Courtyard when you purchase pavers to commemorate an anniversary, a birthday, favorite authors, inspiring poets, a pet, or how about your favorite Friend or Librarian? Library Director Judy Poe will remember her beloved dog Taloulah; Jan Quisumbing will honor his New Jersey roots. I will pay tribute to both my daughters who are avid readers, writers, and community activists. What will your paver(s) say?
“We’re continually impressed with the number of community members who have purchased one or more pavers,” said Pam Logsdon, Director of Finance and Operations. More than 160 pavers have been ordered, and we hope to etch 500 by our grand opening party this fall. “Many of the pavers simply express a love for Sedona Public Library,” Pam said. “It’s awe-inspiring just how much this community cares.”
We have three sizes of pavers for you to choose from. Choices include 12”x12” with four lines of text, 18 characters per line for $400; 6”x12” with three lines and 18 characters per line for $250; and 6”x6” with two lines of text, 9 characters per line for $100. Reserve one or more and show off your love for your library.
There are plenty of large areas within the Courtyard where you can claim your fame and make your library love a legacy, just like the Friends have done. If you’re interested in sponsoring a larger section of the Courtyard, contact Anne Marie at amackler@sedonalibrary.org. Or if pavers are the way you’d like to go, please visit Sedonalibrary.org to learn more. Either way, it’s your Courtyard, and we can’t wait to see you there.
PHOTO CAPTION: Sedona Public Library Board of Trustees and staff accept a $20,000 gift from Friends of the Sedona Library. Pictured left to right: Avrum Cohen, Trustee; Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director; Donna Hawk, Friends’ Treasurer; Dan Galagher, President; Joel DeTar, Past President; and Judy Poe, Library Director.
Library News Column for July, 22, 2022
Written by Anne Marie Mackler, Development Director