Reviews
Library Eyes Golden Eggs with Bacon
By Maureen Sullivan
January 26, 2006
Love is in the air, or at least on pieces of paper taped to windows and walls. Words of love await those who stop for a moment to read first the big words, then the little ones.
The big words are quotes from famous works. The little ones belong to those who put the words out in the first place, the Bacon Free Library in South Natick, so that folks would not only appreciate the big words, but heed the small words and get tickets to the library’s fund-raising gala on Feb. 9.
According to Jeanne Cosmos, chairwoman for the event, the quotes are a way of letting people know about the library in general and the gala in particular.
The event, which will be held at The Center for Arts in Natick at 7:30 p.m., will feature a musical program called “If I Loved You,” featuring the vocal talents of Bobbi Carrey and Will McMillan, with Doug Hammer on piano.
“We’re going with a theme of love because the gala’s near Valentines Day,” said Cosmos. “I saw Bobbi perform in Harvard Square, and she was wonderful. She was so accommodating when I asked her about appearing at the gala.”
Cosmos said the fund-raiser has been well received as far as sponsors and ticket sales go, and having the gala at TCAN “really puts it up a notch.”
Speaking of sponsors, the library could use some more for the program that’s being compiled for the gala. The level of sponsorship corresponds with famous lovers; Antony and Cleopatra, for example, gets three lines of text at 26 characters/spaces per line for $125. Lara Antipova and Yuri Zhivago level gets you two lines of text ($100), while Cinderella and Prince Charming is one line of text ($50).
“We were having so much fun coming up with names ... there was even a suggestion for ‘Fred and Ethel’ for the less expensive line, but we wanted to stick with literary characters,” said Diane Wallace, the library’s director.
Schmooze-fest
Along with love songs, there will be hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar, as well as a chance to schmooze and honor the library’s many volunteers.
According to Wallace, awards will be handed out to trustees, volunteers and businesses who have helped out the Bacon over the years.
"[The gala’s] all part of the 125th [anniversary] events,” she said. “Most of the events were for children and parents, but we wanted one adult evening which would be a fund-raiser as well. Everything we’ve done so far has been free or inexpensive ... [The gala] has evolved into a way to honor our volunteers from day one. The library has lasted this long because of volunteers."
Cosmos credited TCAN with helping to organize the event. “TCAN not only let us have the facility free of charge for the evening, but they’ve been very helpful with how should we do this, and that, and so on,” she said.
Proceeds from the gala will help Bacon continue to upgrade the building. Recently, the Bacon added air conditioning and wireless Internet, but according to Wallace, work still needs to be done with the library’s roof, ceiling and wiring.
"Any building that’s 125 years old and being asked to have high-tech ... that’s expensive,” she said.
Since coming on board as director 14 months ago, Wallace has seen a rise in circulation, as well as the introduction of a popular author series.
"People come by and say ‘I thought you have a little library,’ and we do, but we’re busy,” said Wallace, adding that visitors come as far as Holliston, Wellesley and Sherborn to check out the Bacon.
In March, the Bacon and the Morse Institute will team up for the town’s second annual Natick Reads event, featuring the book “Hoot.” Information about that event will be available at the gala.
Tickets for the gala are still available at the library for $30; deadline for the sponsorships is Feb. 2. For information on the gala, sponsorships or any of the programs at the Bacon, stop by the library at 58 Eliot St., South Natick, call 508-653-6730 or visit www.bfl@minlib.net.