Carson City Library’s friends enjoy New Year’s gala

Carson City Library supporters enjoy gala on New Year’s Eve

Carson City Library supporters enjoyed a New Year’s Eve dinner and ball hosted by the library-backing friends and foundation organizations.

The Wednesday night “black and white” gala at the Carson Plaza Event Center featured fine food, a 9 p.m. balloon drop and champagne toast to coincide with the famed ball drop in New York City’s Times Square at midnight there and dancing after the meal. The menu included wine, roasted tri-tip and cedar baked salmon, marinated grilled vegetables, roasted red potatoes and a choice of chefs’ desserts.

Among the many Carson City residents in attendance were members and officers of the Friends of the Library and those supporting the Library Foundation, the evening’s host organizations. Phyllis Patton, on the Library Board of Trustees and president of the friends group, said the library is doing well. So did Jan French, vice president of the friends organization.

“My perception on it is that we’re going well,” she said, citing the new “digitorium” emphasis on technology for those using computers, smart phones and other communications devices for fun and research. She said it appears library use is strong, particular among middle school and high school students, now that the tech world has expanded options. She said Sena Lloyd, library director, keeps the friends group abreast of developments.

With her was Dick French, her husband and a library supporter who deferred to his spouse as the VIP at their table. French is a retired South Lake Tahoe Airport director and a seven-year Carson City resident.

She served as vice president and president for several years in the first decade of the century and has returned to be vice president the past 18 months.

Donna Curtis, also once a friends vice president, also was on hand and said she served in the No. 2 spot when Jan French was president. Donna Inversin, president of Muscle Powered and an avid library supporter who isn’t a friends member, said she was on hand just to back the group at its primary fund raising event of the year. Tickets were $50 a head or $325 for a table of eight. There also were raffle tickets along with live and silent auction items.

Inversin was particular laudatory in comments regarding the library’s Overdrive program, saying it provides her audio books and e-books to listen as she walks or drives her car.

“They go on my I-phone and in my car on blue tube,” she said, praising the program for which people sign up online if they have library cards.

The evening began with a no host bar at 6 p.m. and was set to end about 10 p.m., an hour after the early Carson City and on-the-dot New York City celebration kicking off 2015.