To the Editor:

We are writing in response to the article in last week’s Bee titled, “Booth Library Fundraising Efforts Underway.” Reading this article, one could get the inaccurate impression that the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library was unable to provide our usual grant to the library this year because the Friends’ annual summer book sale was canceled.

Fortunately, even though there was no 2020 Friends book sale, the Friends notified library management in May that the organization would grant the library $105,000 in fiscal year 2020/2021, the same amount as in previous years. The first check was mailed to the library in July.

Happily, thanks to Newtown residents’ generous donations of books to the Friends, and to member support, thanks to our tireless volunteers and because Newtowners buy a lot of books at the big summer book sale, the Friends could save for a rainy day. We tapped that rainy-day fund this year to fulfill our mission of reliably supporting the library, even during a pandemic.

The Friends has been supporting the library for 45 years and we hope to do so for 45 more. We hope that you, too, will give generously by donating directly to the library during their annual appeal.

Right now, you can also support the Friends and the library by purchasing books, puzzles, and games at the Friends of the Library Farmers Market stand on Tuesdays, 2 to 6:30 pm [at Fairfield Hills] or at the Little Book Store inside the library. We hope to see you there and at the big, annual book sale next summer, scheduled for July 10-14, 2021!

Toni Earnshaw

On Behalf of the Board of Directors of the Friends of the C.H. Booth Library

25 Main Street, Newtown September 15, 2020