Friends of the James River Valley Library System raising funds for computers, audio-enabled books

Yahoo

11-06-2025

Jun. 11—JAMESTOWN — The Friends of the James River Valley Library System is working to complete a fundraising campaign that will be used to update patron computers and purchase audio-enabled children's books.
The Friends of the James River Valley Library System has a $25,000 fundraising goal. The nonprofit organization has raised about $15,000 of that $25,000 goal, said Katie Webster, treasurer of the Friends of the James River Valley Library System.
The Friends of the James River Valley Library System is an independent, nonprofit volunteer organization that works to further the educational and informational needs of the community through support of the library system, according to its website.
Joe Rector, library system director, said the current computers are becoming obsolete. The current computers don't meet the requirements for Windows 11.
Windows 10 will reach the end of support on Oct. 14, according to Microsoft's website.
"There are a lot of people that come in for the computers, so it was important to have updated computers for the patrons," Webster said.
Last year, Rector said Alfred Dickey Public and Stutsman County libraries had 10,836 and 2,825 computer sessions, respectively. He said each computer session is 45 minutes and sessions in the children's library may be a little less.
He said the library system has replaced six computers and another six are set to be replaced. He said 12 other computers could also be replaced. The computers being replaced are located at Alfred Dickey and Stutsman County libraries.
"It's a big expense for the library, but it's something important that we need to do," Rector said. "We've been able through careful maintenance to get a lot of mileage out of the computers that we have and every year we have replaced two or three computers."
Rector said the library system will order as many audio-enabled books as it can. He said children will be able to plug their headphones into the audio-enabled books to listen to the contents.
"The benefit is that there are early readers and that children can listen and turn the pages," Webster said. "It's the new version of an audio book, essentially, for children."
Rector said the Friends of the James River Valley Library System help the library system in many ways.
"The Friends group is so much appreciated at JRVLS," he said. "They work hand in hand with us. Whenever we need something, the Friends have been so eager to help. They do a great job of promoting the library events, helping with library events and expressing appreciation to the library staff."
Webster said volunteers of the Friends organization do whatever they can to support the library.
"We all have a passion for the library," she said. " ... We realize how valuable it is in our community, and we want the library to operate at its full capacity."
The Friends organization has paid for a microfilm reader, reference desk, upgrades to the meeting room and replacement of bookshelves among other items. Rector said the Friends organization has also received two Bayer Fund grants of $5,000 each.
"If a library doesn't have a 501(c)(3) organization, which is what the Friends are, then that library wouldn't qualify for quite a number of grants and opportunities just because of the lack of 501(c)(3)," he said.
To donate to the Friends of the James River Valley Library System, visit
www.friendsofjrvl.org
and click on "Make a Donation." Webster said donations can be any amount and individuals can also become members of the nonprofit organization at its website.
"People can just go online and make those payments electronically in just a couple minutes," Rector said.
For more information about the James River Valley Library System and its events, visit
www.jrvls.org
.