Aug. 7—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Read all about this milestone anniversary.
Cambria County Library will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its location on Main Street in Johnstown with a series of special events and fundraisers throughout August and September.
The library’s David A. Glosser Building, dedicated in October 1971, is home to three floors of materials and services, including public computers, a children’s play area, genealogy resources and over 127,000 print and digital items. The library serves over 17,000 registered users in Cambria County.
“It’s really exciting to think about 50 years as a crucial anchor here on Main Street, and we’re really excited about all of the positive progress that we’re seeing in downtown,” said Ashley Flynn, director of the Cambria County Library System. “The fact that we’re going to continue to be a part of that just feels really good.”
As a way to position the library for the future, the Next Chapter Capital Campaign has been launched to fund the completion of several structural and modernization projects.
While the library’s spaces and technology have evolved over the years to meet the needs of patrons, it has not undergone any major interior or exterior renovations since the addition of a third floor in 1984. Several of the building’s critical components, including the HVAC and sewer system, need to be updated.
“The way we’re using the library has changed a lot over the past 50 years, and we’re ready for our space to reflect current and upcoming needs of our community,” Flynn said.
A goal of $70,000 has been set to help launch several projects.
To further increase the impact of the campaign, funds raised through October will be used to apply for a Keystone Grant through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The grant, which helps libraries address large capital projects, will provide a one-to-one match of funds raised through corporate and private donations to the campaign.
“The Keystone Grant gives us the opportunity to leverage our local funds and effectively double the impact of the campaign,” Flynn said. “We truly appreciate the generosity of our community, and we want to make those donations go as far as possible.”
To make a donation to the Next Chapter Capital Campaign, visit cclsys.org/cambria-nextchapter.
Anniversary events include:
—Through Aug. 16, the library will be taking preorders for pies and baked items from The Pie Shoppe.
Items include a selection of 9-inch pies, as well as specialty items such as cinnamon rolls, pumpkin rolls and a variety pack of 4-inch pies. Prices range from $7 to $10.
Pick-up date will be from noon to 7 p.m. Aug. 26 in the library’s community room, 248 Main St. Orders must be prepaid and can be placed online at bit.ly/LibraryPieSale or at the library’s circulation desk. Groups or businesses interested in placing a bulk order for 10 or more items can arrange for local delivery.
For more information, call 814-536-5131, ext. 209.
“We were looking for a fundraiser that not only people would like, but what would would be a more affordable entry point,” Flynn said. “This gives everybody the chance to participate and take something really yummy home at the same time.”
—A library open house will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Aug. 19.
The community will have a sneak peek of some of the planned modernization projects, including new meeting spaces, parent and child workstations, and facade and landscaping improvements that will create patio space for patron use and outdoor library programs.
“The open house will serve as the official kick off of the capital campaign, so this is an opportunity to come in and see what we do on a daily basis and what kinds of projects we have planned,” Flynn said.
On Aug. 28, Richard Burkert, president and CEO of Johnstown Area Heritage Association, will lead the Smalltown MobWalk, a walking tour highlighting the vitality of downtown Johnstown in the 1950s and ’60s.
The tour will include nostalgic accounts provided by Frank Filia and historical references to Russell Shorto’s book “Smalltime.”
One-hour tours will begin at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. at the library and include stops along Main, Franklin and Vine streets. Tickets are available online at cclsys.org/cambria or at the library’s circulation desk.
“This is going to be so rich with local history and a really interesting tour,” Flynn said.
—The library will host its “That ’70s Night” Sept. 24 at the Holiday Inn Johnstown-Downtown, 250 Market St. The retro-themed party will include a dinner, open bar and special vinyl-only ’70s music by DJs Allsortz and Poptone. Tickets will go on sale Aug. 19 at the library’s open house.
“We’re hoping that everybody can come together in person and celebrate what we’ve done over the past 50 years on Main Street and look forward to what we hope to do in the future,” Flynn said.