Photo submitted to the Times Observer Youngsville Library’s monthly Story time is all about music, playing with instruments, awesome stories, activities and family fun. Pictured are children keeping the beat with Miss Diane as they try out various instruments. No registration is necessary is attend story time.. Story time is the second Tuesday of each month from 10:30 to 11 a.m. Target ages are 3 to 6 years, but all are welcome. The next story time is Tuesday.

For the first time in its history, the Youngsville Public Library (100 Broad St.) will be having a spring book sale fundraiser on Saturday, May 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Regular library services, such as access to public computer towers and material check out, will also be available during this time.

“Since this is the first time we’ve ever tried a spring book sale, we decided to not include food – like we do for the annual September book sale,” said Kristy Wallace, library director. “However, just like in the fall there will be a variety of fiction books for all ages, DVDs, and even some crafts that were created by the Friends of the Library. When we say that we need to have successful annual fundraisers to keep our doors open, that isn’t an exaggeration at all. So we really appreciate it when people support our library through book sales, Love Your Library extravaganza, and also WarrenGives which is on Wednesday, May 10. We’re hoping that our first spring book sale will have a successful turnout. If it is then the goal is to have both a spring/May and fall/September Book Sale each year. All fundraising proceeds directly benefit the Youngsville Public Library.”

In preparation for the sale, the library will be accepting donations of fiction books and DVDs on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2 to 6 p.m. and Tuesdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. No magazines, cassette tapes, VHS tapes or nonfiction books (i.e. no textbooks, encyclopedias, biographies, dictionaries, lifetime books, etc.). Donors are asked to only donate books/items that are in good or better condition. Library officials are interested in regular print fiction (both hardcover and paperback), children/youth books, large print fiction, Christian fiction, and DVDs and aren’t accepting items that are dirty, moldy, musty, smelly, water-stained, bug infested, or have browned/tattered/missing covers or pages.

For more information, call 814-563-7670 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays.

PUZZLE PROGRAM

The Youngsville Public Library has started a new “Bring One, Borrow One” puzzle program. Patrons are being encouraged to bring in or donate their own puzzles from home and then borrow a “gently used” and “new to them” puzzle from the puzzle shelves (located in the library’s foyer area).

“We’re really excited about offering puzzles at the Youngsville Library,” Wallace said. “The main thing to keep in mind is that the puzzles are available on the honor system. Patrons will not have to check the puzzles out or worry about renewing them. We only ask that once the puzzle has been completed that the patrons bring them back (without any missing pieces of course) so that they can be enjoyed again by others.”

The Youngsville Library is accepting puzzle donations. Donate puzzles that have clean outer boxes, aren’t musty or stained and aren’t missing any pieces. Puzzles for all age levels and difficulty levels are being accepted. Do not place puzzle donations directly in the drop-box, puzzles need to donated during business hours. Library hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays.

BOOK CLUB

Youngsville Library’s book club meets the second Tuesday of each month from 3 to 4 p.m. The next meeting is Tuesday. This month club members will discuss the book “Lady Clementine” by Marie Benedict. June’s book for discussion will be “The Book of Lost Names” by Kristin Harmel. To join Book Club drop-in on the day of or contact the Youngsville Library at 814-563-7670.

WarrenGIVES

Wednesday is WarrenGives Annual Day of Giving Event from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Youngsville Public Library is among the many county-wide nonprofit organizations that are eligible to receive donations through WarrenGIves each year. This is a fundraising opportunity that the Youngsville Library relies on heavily each year. The Youngsville Library will be open two hours earlier than usual on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for those who don’t have access to secure computer towers/internet access but would still like to donate to area charities. Library staff and members of the Friends of the Library will be available to during this time to offer free computer/donation assistance to help donors navigate the secure WarrenGives website. There will also be a table of free, light refreshments onsite, courtesy of Friends of the Youngsville Library.

Money raised through WarrenGives help the library to continue to provide “free to the public” eBooks, e-resources, 24-7 high-speed wi-fi access, summer reading and other outreach programming, free summer snack program, free weekly professional development workshops, digital courses and digital reference data bases. This year library officials hope there will be enough total money raised to help the library fulfill its plans to expand its parking lot options. Expanding library parking options is definitely an “in demand” issue that the library board is working towards remedying. The parking issue stems directly from what can actually be considered as a “happy problem:” the ever-increasing attendance of kids and adults at monthly and specialty programming that is offered at the Youngsville Library.

“YPLibrary realizes that there are still many members of the public who either don’t have their own computer or don’t have access to reliable wi-fi but who still want to participate in WarrenGives and who want to donate to various charities,” Wallace said. “Since the very beginning when WarrenGives began 11 years ago, YPL has extend its hours on this day and has helped both first-time donors and many repeat-donors, who just like to ‘double-check’ that they are making their donation correctly on the WarrenGives website. We have staff and Friends members onsite who can also assist anyone who might have questions about the process of visiting WarrenGives on-line website to make a secure donation.”

The secure, online WarrenGives donation site is regulated, overseen, and paid for by the Community Foundation of Warren County. WarrenGives also offers a match pool, through which a percentage of the match pool is added on top of an initial donation, which makes a person’s donation grow. Because the Community Foundation of Warren County covers the costs associated with credit/debit card processing fees, a person’s entire donation will be given to the organization(s) of their choice, without subtracting any processing fees (which can happen with other donation sites).

The match pool sponsors for 2023 are: the Community Foundation, DeFrees Family Memorial Fund, Betts Foundation, Calvert-Pearson Insurance, Crossett, Ellwood National Forge, Northwest Charitable Foundation, McComas Charitable Fund, Sara Sokolski Memorial Fund, Superior Tire & Rubber, and United Refining Company.

BOROUGH NEWS

Bike Rodeo: Saturday, June 3, the Youngsville Borough Police Department is hosting a bike rodeo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Youngsville Fire Department. There will be opportunities to join officers and ride bicycles through obstacle courses and learn new riding techniques.

Those attending should bring bicycle and helmets. Helmets will be provided to anyone who doesn’t have one. Hot dogs and drinks will be provided. Local bike mechanics will be on hand to help fix repairs if needed. No pre-registration required.

Discount Pool Passes: Season passes for the Brokenstraw Valley Swimming Pool are going on sale through May 31. Borough residents can receive a $10 discount for passes sold in May. Season passes can be purchased at the borough office. A family pass (up to six family members who live in the same household) is $125. An adult season pass is $90 while a student/senior pass is $80. A lap swim season pass is $55 and a Swimmercise season pass is also $55. Those who are not Youngsville residents pay an additional $10 per option. For more information, call 814-563-4604.

FUNDRAISERS

Triple Rummage Sale: Three churches will culminate their combination rummage sale and bake sale today from 9 a.m. to noon. St. Luke Church (420 North St.), Saron Lutheran (West Main Sstreet, Youngsville) and Presbyterian Church (Irvine) will be having a $1 per bag sale today. Bake sales items are while supplies last. A free “punch card” giveaway basket option is avalable as well. Those participating can get a free “punch card” ticket at any of the churches this year. Visit each rummage sale, get the ticket punched at each of the three churches and drop off your completed ticket (with the three punches) at Restore (103 East Main) by at 1 p.m. today. The drawing will be held at Restore, but winners need not be present.

Brokenstraw Valley Fund: Those who live in Brokenstraw Township, Garland, Irvine, Pittsfield Township or Youngsville Borough can consider a donation to the Brokenstraw Valley Fund during WarrenGives on Wednesday at www.WarrenGives.org. The purpose for creating the Brokenstraw Valley Fund was to create a non-profit foundation that would be able to assist the Brokenstraw Valley area with community-minded projects and improvements.

Since 2019, the fund has awarded nearly $10,000 in grants to area organizations to assist with projects ranging from volunteer fire department needs to brick and mortar improvements for the Wilder Museum in Irvine. The fund operates under the same principles as the Community Foundation of Warren County and the fund’s investment capital and principal growth is monitored and protected by the Community Foundation of Warren County. Each year, grants are only distributed from the growth that is earned by the investment capital. That means donations actually add to the fund’s main investment capital and will continue to grow. In other words, the more public donations towards the fund’s untouched investment capital means more growth each year; consequently this means more grant distribution power to assist with qualifying projects within the Brokenstraw Valley area. The goal for the Brokenstraw Valley Fund is to raise an additional $25,000 (by 2025) to reach an investment capital milestone of $125,000. The main opportunity for fundraising donations for the BVF is through WarrenGives. For more information about the BVFund visit OurBVF.org or BrokenstrawValleyFund.org.

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

Alumni Picnic Change: The annual Youngsville High School Alumni 50+ Picnic will now be at the Youngsville Free Methodist Church (179 Davis St.) at noon on Tuesday, July 11. This is a change from the previous location. This annual YHS Alumni Picnic is for classes who have graduated in 1972 and earlier. More details to be announced closer to picnic date.