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Date: 6/26/2023
BELCHERTOWN — The Friends of Clapp Memorial Library have announced the election of Jim Knittel as interim president effective immediately.
After nearly 10 years serving as president, Paul Geoffroy has decided to step down and hand the gavel over to someone else.
Knittel has been with the Friends for eight years and has served as an at-large member for five.
He will serve as interim president until the full members meeting in October when nominations will be accepted for a new president and at-large member.
“It is an honor to be serving as the president of the Friends. It’s a position that helps facilitate the efforts of all involved and hopefully keeps things running smoothly in our efforts to raise funds for the library,” Knittel added.
Even though Knittel was named interim president, he said that whole group of volunteers is more important to the library.
“We are a group that tries to raise money for the library and help support the programs at the library. Being the president is only helping coordinate everything, there’s a great amount of work done by others in the group that may or may not have a title."
The Friends support the mission of the library and make a variety of programs and resources available to the people of Belchertown and beyond. They do this by raising funds and participating in community events.
At it June 15 meeting, the Friends voted to transfer $40,000 to the Clapp Memorial Library.
Clapp Memorial Library Director Cyndi Harbeson said part of the funds will be used for programming and a large part of it will go toward building maintenance.
“We need to make some repairs in the basement, specifically to the ceiling, to ensure our building is safe for everyone and is up to code,” Harbeson added.
There are many ways The Friends enhance the quality of library services for people of all ages.
If anyone has attended the book sale in the fall or the spring, used the photocopy machine at the library, used the book drop outside of the library, enjoyed one of the music programs at the library or have had your child participate in the summer reading program and related activities then they can thank the Friends of Clapp Memorial Library.
“The funds are basically for whatever the director of the library Cyndi wants or needs it for and basically whatever the library needs outside of their normal budget,” Knittel said.
The Friends and Clapp Memorial Library also host a semi-annual book sale that usually takes place in April and October.
All proceeds from the sale goes directly to the Clapp Memorial Library.
Knittel said that each book sale raises approximately $20,000 for the library to use.
The Friends of Clapp Memorial Library will be hosting two drop-off book days at the Clapp Memorial Library on Saturday, July 15, and Saturday, Aug. 12, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for the upcoming book sale.
Knittel said, “We will have people in the parking lot at the library where you can juts pull up, we will open your trunk up take the books out and take them into the library. We have done it before and it has generated a lot of books to be able to use for the sale and makes it easier for our patrons to drop off the books.”
He added that being able to help the library is essential to the community.
Knittel said, “This library is used a lot. The kids use it a lot, adults use it a lot. It feels great to be able to contribute something to the library itself. It is a big team effort. I have only been involved the last few years but there are some members who have been involved for almost 30 years and deserve much more credit for what is going on.”
The Friends of Clapp Memorial need new volunteers to help with their efforts to support the library.
They meet on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. in the children’s activity room on the lower level of the library.
They said they are always looking for volunteers and openings on their board and committees are listed on their website as well.
For more information, people can go to www.friendsofclapplibrary.org or call the library at 413-323-0417.
The Friends of Clapp Memorial Library thanked Geoffroy for his dedicated service over the years and wish him the best and said he will continue to help with the semiannual book sales held by the Friends.