Provo City Library will host its first-ever Book Ball and Silent Auction to fundraise for library operations on Saturday, Nov. 23.
While the Provo City Library has hosted balls before, Saturday's event will be the first attempt to fundraise on behalf of the library.
“Picture this event as the prom that your introverted friends would throw,” Provo City Library director Carla Gordon said.
Gordon hopes to make the ball an annual event and library staff is eager to make an affordable night out for those who need an excuse to dress up and have fun, with activities for introverts and extroverts alike, she said.
“It probably isn’t shocking that, as a librarian, I am an introvert, but I usually leave big dances hoarse from yelling and with a bit of a headache because you can’t really escape the crowd and noise," Gordon said. "Well, we planned this dance to have all the dancing fun plus a quiet place to get away for a bit, rest and get ready for another visit to the dance floor."
The Provo City Library is a historic building and serves the community through a variety of programs and services. The library staff hopes the funds raised from the ball can contribute to maintenance expenses and continuing community services, Hill said.
“The official, long-term answer is that funds raised will be used for the library building, collections, programs and services," Hill said. "The short-term answer is that we will use funds for some of the bigger-ticket historical building repairs and maintenance that fall outside the scope of our annual building maintenance budget."
The event will feature a DJ and dancing, photo opportunities, desserts, book trivia, board games and a place to read or chat.
Erika Hill, the library's community relations manager, said she is most excited about the soda bar and board games.
"I am a sucker for just about any soda shop, so I'm excited about the soda bar that we've got planned," she said. "We've created signature drinks for iconic literary characters, and that's just fun. I'm also excited about the board game room because that's probably where I'd spend my time if I were attending the event."
The ball gives residents an opportunity to support their local library. With additional funds, the library will not have to ask for a tax increase in the coming year.
The library has operated on a stagnant budget for years, Hill said.
“Any additional funds raised will ultimately mean that we're able to keep providing the exceptional service that our community is accustomed to," Hill said.
Along with the ball, the Provo City Library is hosting an online silent auction. Attendees can expect items like the following and more:
- Theater tickets
- Official BYU Nike cap signed by Team Captain Chase Roberts
- Library merch bundle with vinyl stickers and a pin
- Provo and Provo Outline art prints
- Tickets to the Annual Fairy Tea
- Signed copies of "The Unwedding" by Ally Condie (and one virtual book club visit with the author)
- Thread wallets and Apple Airpod cases
Attendees are invited to dress up from formal to semi-formal or as their favorite book character.
Staff members hope the Book Ball and Silent Auction are the start of an annual event, and that residents enjoy themselves and enjoy the opportunity to support their local library.
Tickets to the event are $25 each and are sold online through the Provo City website. For those who cannot attend, donations are always welcome and can be made through the library's donations website.