The Bellevue Public Library staff has grand plans for their new space. Construction is underway at the Bellevue Professional Building on Longo Drive, the library’s future home. In addition to everything initially budgeted, the library staff has made a wishlist of items that will enhance patrons’ experience at the new location.
At the top of the fundraising list is Radio Frequency Identification Technology. RFID is wireless tech used for tracking and identifying objects. It uses radio waves to communicate between a reader and a tag or transponder containing a unique identifier. Regarding the RFID technology, Bellevue Library Foundation President and Fundraising Committee Chair Michelle Boyce said, “One of the key advantages of this technology is it will help make our library more efficient, effective, and secure. These little tags will allow patrons to check themselves out in a flash, allow librarians to track materials if they try to leave the building without being checked out, and make the librarian’s job more efficient.”
Other items on the list include a full learning kitchen, a fireplace with seating, an outdoor reading patio, self-service pickup lockers, an iPad station, fun furniture for the children’s section, a CNC router for the Maker Space, and a digital marquee near Harvell drive.
To help boost their efforts, the library is holding a concert fundraiser later this month. The Bellevue Public Library Fundraising Concert is on Sunday, October 22 at Bellevue East. Doors open at 3pm and the opening act, Celtic Boulevard, starts at 4pm.
Bellevue East alum and rising pop country singer/songwriter Kaylyn Sahs is heading the event.
“I’m honored to be a part of the Bellevue Public Library’s fundraiser event. There’s a lot of history in my family with the library. My great grandma, Belva Sahs, worked at the Bellevue library for many years and loved this community. There’s a street sign named after her outside the library, Belva Sahs Way,” Sahs shared. “When I was asked to perform for this event, I knew I was meant to do it. The concert will be held at the high school I graduated from, so it feels like a full-circle moment. It will be an amazing night, and I hope the city of Bellevue shows up and shows out!”
Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under. The library will be accepting cash or check payments at the door. Checks should be made out to the Bellevue Library Foundation. All proceeds will go toward supporting the Bellevue Foundation Library building campaign.
The total fundraising goal for the building campaign has been set at $500,000, and donations started coming in earlier this year.
If you would like to make a donation, offer items to use for raffles at future events, or volunteer your time to help, please contact the Bellevue Public Library at (402) 293-3157 or eMail the Library Office Manager and Volunteer Coordinator Barbara Farrell at barbara.farrell@bellevue.net.
