Working Titlez

By Stacey Fott

Stephens Press donates books to a variety of charities throughout the year. However our largest yearly donation in terms of books, advertising, and author involvement is Library Tree Lane which benefits the Friends of the Henderson Libraries. Stephens Press has been a partner since the event began in 2005. Held each December at the Paseo Verde Library, guests mix, mingle, bid on auction items and meet SP authors. Over the years, many authors from our own R-J family have participated, including Jorge Betancourt, Norm Clarke, Heidi Knapp Rinella, Geoff Schumacher, and Joan Whitley. We just learned that the 2009 event raised a total of $21,000. Funds will go towards the purchase of books for the early-reader collection of the Henderson Libraries. Thirty-five of the books purchased will have a special label recognizing Stephens Press, LLC. I have had the honor of working with the event committee for the past five years and it is really a wonderful event for a very worthwhile cause.

This month, the Friends of Henderson Libraries was awarded the annual Baker & Taylor Award from the American Library Association. Friends of the Henderson Libraries was recognized for its excellence in the category of Friends groups without paid staff. A check for $1,000 was presented to Bethany Lafferty, Green Valley Library assistant manager on behalf of the group at the ALA conference.The Friends application focused on the one of their major fundraisers, Library Tree Lane 2008. Funds generated from the event were used for the collection of pre-school books for the recently opened Green Valley Library.

Stephens Press is pleased to have been involved with Library Tree Lane for the past four years and wishes Friends of the Henderson Libraries continued success as they plan for this year’s event.