Thursday, April 2, 2020

NO April events. Sorry! Library closed...

For health concerns, and to comply with state and CDC guidelines during this coronavirus epidemic, libraries have had to cancel public events and close the library buildings.

You may continue to use online resources via the Library website at any hour of the day or night.

Audiobooks, e-books, movies, and music can be accessed with your library card number.

Language study and many other educational resources are also available online.

Tip:  start with HPL Academy:
                    https://my.nicheacademy.com/holyoke
A good way to learn how to use the various online resources offered through this library.


Thursday, February 27, 2020

Mini Golf & Games at the Library! POSTPONED to Sept 26

The Library's 5th Annual Mini Golf fundraiser will be held on Saturday April 4, 2020  September 26, 2020.  [POSTPONED because of the Covid-19 epidemic.]

We have expanded the title to "Mini Golf and Games at the Holyoke Public Library" because a Foosball tournament is being added this year.

Come play mini golf INSIDE the Library or Foosball OUTSIDE in the Library Park.

Help us by becoming a SPONSOR.  Sponsor a "hole" on the 18-hole mini golf course, sponsor a team for the Foosball tournament, or sponsor free tickets for school students.  See these and additional choices on the 2020 Sponsorship Options & Commitment Form, or Contact Nancy Kocsmiersky in the Library's Finance Office, 413-420-8109, M-Th mornings.   Thank you.

For more about these events, visit this page on the Library's website:

 

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Steps to the future

Save the date Saturday April 4, 2020, for the 5th Annual "Mini Golf in the Library! ¡Minigolf en la Biblioteca! fundraiser.

Plan to join us for another fun-filled day. We volunteer our time to help families enjoy this special event, and to help raise funds for the Holyoke Public Library. We invite local businesses, organizations and individuals to "sponsor" segments of the 18-hole course inside the library building.

To become a sponsor of the 2020 event, or to volunteer to help, please contact Nancy Kocsmiersky in the Library Finance Office at  ‭(413) 420-8109‬.    Thank you!

Meanwhile, the Friends of the Library organization is well on the way to completing the transition from a separate corporation (founded 1983) to a participating part of the overall Holyoke Public Library Corporation (HPLC, founded 1870).  We are simplifying our structure, eliminating the need for annual submission of tax forms and filing fees, as well as the tasks of recruiting and electing a treasurer, managing bank accounts, and so forth.  We have already taken the necessary steps towards closure of our separate corporation: filing final tax forms and working with lawyers to petition the Attorney General of the Commonwealth for official dissolution. We await official approval from the AG. Steps will then be taken by HPLC to adjust the bylaws to add the Friends as an on-going committee.

The Mini Golf fundraiser, initiated by the Friends in 2016, has raised an average of $6,000 per year for the Library. Two years ago HPLC voted to have the Library's Finance Office manage the financial aspects of this event, while the Friends continued to supply volunteers. That arrangement will continue.  We (Friends volunteers) are delighted to have the Library's Finance Office involved – a very helpful step in collaboration and support of this unique fundraiser.

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

Mini Golf fun and photos

We thank photographer Steven Nanton of The Republican/MassLive for capturing excellent photos of people enjoying Mini Golf  in the Library on April 6; see his 35 photos on MassLive.

What a wonderful day that was!  We registered over 350 players during the daytime hours, and had additional players during the evening cocktail party.  Last year 233 had registered; we are delighted by the larger turnout this year.

The library was buzzing with activity all day.  Emma Rose Huse of Mask Makers Face Painting was busy from 11am-3:30pm decorating young faces.

Hole sponsors brought creative props, "obstacles" and decorations to add along the course. Holyoke Codes created elaborate structures with robotic animations for Holes 17 and 18.  See Sandy Ward's PHOTO ALBUM. 

Thanks to advance sponsorships by local companies and agencies, this community event does not cost the library anything. In fact, the Holyoke Public Library gained about $5000 in proceeds above the expenses of equipment and publicity.   We are thankful too for the VOLUNTEERS who staff the event. Without all this support, it would not be possible.

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

2019 Mini Golf in the Library! ¡Minigolf en la Biblioteca!


The 4th Annual "Mini Golf in the Library!" fundraiser and FUN-raiser will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2019.  Come play 18 holes of mini golf on five levels of the library, including some stairway "holes" as seen here.  (Elevator available for those who wish to avoid stairs.) 

Family-friendly Mini Golf:  9:30 am to 3:30 pm.
 Free for children under 5 years. $5 for adults and teens, 
$3 for youth aged 5-12.
La Mesa Food Truck will be selling food nearby.

Mini Golf for 21+ during Saturday evening's 
"Swing into Spring" Cocktail Party
$20 per person, includes food catered by
Jay Candelario of Jay's Bed & Breakfast.

Proceeds will benefit the Library.

Face painting will be offered during the day to mini golfers – no extra cost.

We are delighted that Emma Rose Huse of Mask Makers Face Painting will return again in 2019, donating her time and talent to decorate many happy faces during this special event.

Thank you, Emma!

We are also thanking our EVENT SPONSORS and HOLE SPONSORS here as we receive their commitments and payments.

NOTE: If you or your company would like to become a SPONSOR for 2019, please let contact Nancy Kocsmiersky in the Library Development Office at 413-420-8109 or nancy@holyokelibrary.org

We are happy to announce these early commitments made before the end of 2018:

State Rep. Aaron Vega will be a Hole Sponsor for the 4th year in a row!

Open Square will be a Hole Sponsor.  Thank you, John Aubin, for 4 years of support.

Marcotte Ford also is returning as a Hole Sponsor.

Mount Holyoke College has been a loyal Event Sponsor, supporting us again for 2019.

Since January 2019, we have received payments from these donors:

Witman Properties has signed up to return as a Hole Sponsor.

Michael Baron is generously sponsoring a mini golf Hole in memory of Terry Plum, who served for many years as President of the Board of Trustees of the Holyoke Public Library Corporation.  Thank you!

WayFinders will return as a Hole Sponsor. We thank Sarah Page for 4 years of support. The WayFinder section of the course will be near windows facing Essex and Chestnut Streets, where  WayFinders plans to rehab old buildings into the "Library Commons" housing complex.

CHI Insurance Agency, Inc. joins us this year as a new Hole Sponsor. We thank Patrick Asselin for his enthusiasm about supporting this fun community event. He reports that his staff are already "excited" about planning creative decorations along the course to their hole.

Martin J. Clayton Insurance Agency, Inc., joins us as an Event Sponsor at the Bronze Level. We welcome them as a new sponsor this year.

We thank Maureen Ross O'Connell as a loyal supporter of this fundraiser since our first Mini Golf event (2016).  For 2019  Ross, Webber & Grinnell Insurance Agency is sponsoring one of the PREMIUM Holes on our golf course. An extra thanks!

PeoplesBank returns as an Event Sponsor at the Silver Level.

Easthampton Savings Bank Foundation, Inc., returns as an Event Sponsor at the Gold Level.

Holyoke Gas & Electric returns as an Event Sponsor at the Gold Level.

Racing Mart Fuels, 330 Main St, Holyoke, supports us as an Event Sponsor at the Bronze Level.

The Kestral Land Trust will decorate a HOLE sponsored by an anonymous donor.

Brad Matthews Jewelers returns as an Event Sponsor at the Bronze Level.

Mass. Surgical Supply supports the event as a Hole Sponsor.

The Holyoke Mall is again an Event Sponsor at the Bronze Level.

 **********
In addition to Sponsors, there are many DONORS of auction items and in-kind services that contribute to  this Library fundraiser.   We thank these donors:

110 Grill
413 Family Fitness
Applebee's
Big Buddha Pet Services
Brennan's Place
Children's Museum at Holyoke 
Cinemark Theater - W. Springfield 
Conklin Office Furniture
Crooked Stick Pops
Fitzpatrick Arena Ice Skating Rink
G Street Vinyl
Hadley Printing
Holyoke Codes
Holyoke Fire Dept
Holyoke High School, Upward Bound students
Holyoke Merry Go Round
Holyoke Tax Service
Homewood Suites by Hilton
Jay’s Bed and Breakfast
La Mesa Food Truck
Mask Makers Face Painting
Michael Baron and family
MIFA
Muse Custom Framing
Pioneer VR 
Prodigy Minigolf & Gameroom
Red Robin
Sherwin-Williams
Spradley Deluxe Coffee
Tower Square Hotel
Volleyball Hall of Fame
Wyckoff Country Club Golf Course
YMCA



Thursday, October 4, 2018

Address Change

The Friends of the Holyoke Public Library for many years used a Post Office Box address on all our mailings and membership forms.  Effective September 30, 2018, we have cancelled our lease of that box, which was rarely used in the past 12 months. The Post Office will forward our mail to us at this permanent address:

Friends of the Holyoke Public Library
250 Chestnut Street
Holyoke, MA 01040


Please update your address books.  Thank you.

If YOUR address has changed recently, please notify us, or better yet, notify the Library directly.

The addresses of Friends members, in past years, were listed on a spreadsheet maintained by a Friends volunteer (usually our Membership Chair, or Treasurer) and also listed in the donor database maintained by staff in the Holyoke Public Library Development Office. Keeping these two separate mailing lists up-to-date has been challenging at times, and extra work. We have now simplified the process. There is only ONE database now, not two. Friends members have all been identified as such in the HPL donor database, so we no longer need to maintain separate records.

Thus, please notify Nancy Kocsmiersky, nancy@holyokelibrary.org, or at 413-420-8109, whenever you need to update your contact information.

The Friends organization is in transition to becoming a committee within the Holyoke Public Library's governing structure. Our formal organization as a nonprofit corporation will be dissolved.  We no longer ask for membership dues or contributions. We encourage donations directly to the Holyoke Public Library, Attention: Nancy Kocsmiersky, 250 Chestnut St, Holyoke 01040.

THANK YOU for being a FRIEND of the Library.




Sunday, July 1, 2018

Please Save This Date


4th Annual 
Mini Golf in the Library! ¡Minigolf en la Biblioteca!
Saturday, April 6, 2019
Family-friendly play during the daytime
followed by
an evening Cocktail Party with Mini Golf for 21+