It’s been a tough two years, but thanks to you and the Albany Public Library, we have made it through. We are asking for your help and support as we head into this winter, to prepare for a busy future. We are asking for your help and support in order to continue to grow and sustain the invaluable programs and services that our community relies on and helps make Albany a great place to live, work, and play.
It’s a time of great change in the FFAPL family. We lovingly remember David Colchamiro and Paul Hacker, who passed away this year. And we had to say goodbye to Library Director Scott Jarzombek, who was such an inspiring leader. We will miss Scott’s enthusiasm, energy, and vision, and we look forward to working with the new leader who will step into Scott’s shoes. There will also be a new leader here at the Friends and Foundation. After 8 years as President, I am stepping down at the end of January and passing the reins to a new leader.
Looking back, we have faced some big challenges these past two years, but with your support, we rose to the occasion. We organized readings outdoors in the Bach garden and in Washington Park as soon as it was safe to do so, and hosted a weekly book sale at the Delaware Community Farmers Market. Our summer Washington Park reading with Elisa Albert is now an annual event, and the Library has installed a permanent shed for book sales behind the Delaware branch.
We also held our Literary Legends gala this year, live and in person again. COVID was looming, but we planned carefully, reducing capacity, adjusting the way that we served food and drink, and adding outdoor space. It was pouring rain, but everyone who came had a great time with authors Lydia Davis and Eugene Mirabelli. We were grateful to also celebrate the gardeners of the Pine Hills Butterfly Garden, who have been so dedicated to the Pine Hills branch.
We are already looking forward to next year’s Literary Legends and welcome your input and support. Be sure to send us your nominations for who we should next honor as our “literary legend” and let us know if you would like to join the gala committee. (Do you know a writer who we should celebrate at next year’s gala?)
Thanks to your generosity, FFAPL continues to support Library programs for all ages from Growing Readers to the Touhey Library Equity Fellowship to Art at APL. This year, your gifts funded a Financial Literacy for kids camp at Howe, the ambitious Branching Out program produced with Amplified Voices and YouthFX, and purchased new craft equipment at Pine Hills branch. It’s also been a very busy year of grant writing at the FFAPL office, mostly for Keep Albany Connected initiatives to expand information access for all, a critical need in our community. Branching Out, which is a true Capital District project and has moved to Schenectady this month, and will move to Troy next month, was made possible through grants written by FFAPL Executive Director Alexis Bhagat and with matching funds from FFAPL. Thank you so much for your support.
Your donations also help support our Book and Author programs, including Tuesday Book Talks. Jon Skinner and Roger Green have done a terrific job of keeping this program going through the pandemic. They will take a much needed break for winter, but check out , and Elisa Albert’s “online literary salon,” which is bringing great authors to Albany through the magic of Zoom. All available on our Youtube page!
As APL supporters, you know that public libraries are critical to our communities. That’s why we are funding innovation at Albany Public Library through our annual appeal, which ends on April 6, 2022. Please give today to help us to raise $20,000 for Library programs.
While I know that I’m leaving the FFAPL in good hands, it with sadness I say goodbye to Scott. We are grateful for all he’s done for Albany and our libraries, and we are committed to continuing the good work he’s done. As we look forward to celebrating the Library Centennial in 2023, know that your support will be laying a strong foundation for the next 100 years of our beloved Albany Public Library.
Thanks for your continued support.
Sincerely,
Holly J. McKenna
President, FFAPL
