Every year, we here at the library hold our Novel Night benefit. This is one of the biggest nights in the life of the library that we look forward to and plan for all year. To library supporters from all over our community, this is a night for fun, food, and fellowship with a single goal: to raise funds to support the purchase of more of the library materials that you love.
Novel Night started in 2009 with a goal of raising $25,000, and ended up raising over $30,000. From 2009 to 2018, this event was hosted at the Schedel Arboretum and Gardens in Elmore, and in 2020 and 2021, was hosted entirely virtually with a No-Show Novel Night due to the pandemic.
Now, we have a goal of raising as much as we can: last year, we raised just over $130,000 in funds and moved the event to the beautiful Veterans Memorial Building right here in Bowling Green.
There are many reasons why this event, and the funds it raises, are so important. More than 22,000 cardholders borrowed 541,000 books and other items in 2022 alone, and over 14,000 new books, eBooks, audiobooks, picture books and other items were added to our collections. These funds help to make those item purchases possible and keep our collections updated and relevant in a shifting readership world.
What really matters, however, is the impact of these items. It’s the excitement on a child’s face when they see a new picture book in our Children’s Place. It’s the gratitude of a patron in Wood County when our Bookmobile delivers new materials right to their door or visits their neighborhood. It’s the busy parent who comes to the library, grabbing that new bestseller they can’t wait to read off of our shelves. It’s the commuter, listening to their favorite audiobook in their car. It’s the college student who finds another book they love and who can’t wait to start reading it.
These little moments in life when people are inspired, educated or calmed by a good book are the reason we hold this event. With your support, you make these moments a possibility for everyone who lives in our community.
We hope you can join us at this year’s Novel Night on July 20 at 5:30 p.m. to help support these little moments. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at the Bowling Green library Circulation Desk, or online at wcdpl.org/novel-night-tickets. Or, we hope you consider donating any amount at wcdpl.org/novel-night.
Thank you for your support of the library, and for supporting readers in our community.
Kelsey Nevius is the communications and marketing specialist at the Wood County District Public Library.
