EVENTFUL: Bookish events offer chances to boost libraries, authors in Lackawanna, Lycoming counties

Readers in Lackawanna and Lycoming counties will have opportunities to support libraries and local authors over the next couple of weeks.

The Valley Community Library’s annual Books Appétit fundraiser is up first on May 7, with music, food, drinks and raffle prizes on deck at the library in Peckville.

Then on May 15, Lycoming Arts will hold its second Storytellers Book Fair featuring 17 regional authors, presentations, a book swap and more.

Books Appétit supports operations, summer programs

Valley Community Library Director Kristen Wallo said Books Appétit has grown “exponentially” every year.

“We close the library a little early that day, and we basically have this big party for the community. We turn our circulation desk into a bar,” she said. “We've got local beer and wine and lots of food donated by local restaurants, and we're going to have live music and a photo booth, and it's a really great time.”

This year’s event will feature live music by the Wannabees, more than 100 raffle baskets, a block pool and signature drinks of Wallo’s own concoction.

The 21-and-over event starts at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 7. Tickets are $35 in advance or $40 at the door, but Wallo advised purchasing advance tickets to ensure a space. Tickets will not be guaranteed at the door on the day of the event.

Wallo said they’re expecting more than 200 people to come out and support the library.

“I think the event started as just a smaller event with about 50 people who would come to it,” she said. “So now every year, it gets bigger and better. We're adding additional entertainment, and we even have the event indoor and outdoor so we have a tent outside.”

The fundraiser typically makes a significant contribution to the $50,000 the library tries to raise for operations every year. Wallo said last year’s event brought in $28,000, and that’s especially helpful as they prepare for the summer programs.

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“It comes at the perfect time, because right now we're going to need to be preparing for summer and a whole bunch of other things happening at the library,” she said. “So we appreciate all of the community support at this time.”

Wallo will be behind the circulation desk turned bar during the event.

“It really warms my heart to see all these people come … to support the library. I know there’s so many people who see this event as a yearly tradition,” she said. “It really means a lot to us.”

Storytellers Book Fair highlights regional authors

Regional authors and illustrators will be the focus of the second Storytellers Book Fair presented by Lycoming Arts on Friday, May 15.

Committee Chair Alivia Tagliaferri said the event will feature 17 local authors selling and signing books.

“We’re really trying to foster connection with local authors,” she said.

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The Storytellers Book Fair starts at 4 p.m. on Friday, May 15 in the Pennington Lounge at Lycoming College. It will feature meet and greets and signings with authors, a community book swap, “Novel Treasures” themed raffle baskets and an “Uncork the Unknown” mystery wine pull.

Event passes are $25, include one “Novel Treasures” raffle ticket and one door prize entry, and all proceeds benefit Lycoming Arts.

The book fair will include two featured discussions - author PJ Piccirillo will speak from 4:30 to 5 p.m. about his historical novel “The Indigo Scarf,” and John Shableski, general manager of The Otto Bookstore, will discuss the publishing industry at 5:30 in a presentation titled “So, You Wrote a Book… Now What?”

Lycoming Arts also has selected “The Indigo Scarf” as the inaugural book for its Open Book Society, a book club launching at the event. The book explores the flight of two enslaved men into north-central Pennsylvania during the nineteenth century.

Tagliaferri said the book club will also prioritize local authors and regional stories.

“We felt that this would be a great way to extend the Storytellers Book Fair experience, to have a book club that is really dedicated to sharing the stories of writers in our region,” she said.

Tagliaferri, a children’s author, will have her own books available at the Book Fair. She said she’s most excited to meet and learn about other writers in the region.

“I just really enjoy learning about the authors that are, you know, in my backyard, and the works that they've created.” she said. “I'm looking forward to meeting them in person.”