LANSDALE Three officers have been named to lead the Lansdale Public Librarys board of directors in 2014, and the library has plenty of events coming up before the calendar flips into that new year.

Its hard to believe 2013 is almost over; weve started out putting a lot of things in motion this year, Library Director Tom Meyer said.

In his report to borough council earlier this month, Meyer listed several events this month that will likely draw crowds to the library, and which the public is welcome to attend.

Therapy dogs will be available for kids to read to on Dec. 30 at 10:30 a.m. Visitors can learn how to decorate a gingerbread house at 4 p.m. on Dec. 19, and young readers can count down a clock and celebrate the new year twelve hours early during the librarys annual New Years at Noon celebration held – naturally – from 11 a.m. to noon on Dec. 31.

A nominating committee has chosen three officers to lead the librarys board of directors in 2014: current board president Mary Fuller will retain that role, and councilman Steve Malagari and Rich DiGregorio will serve as vice president and treasurer respectively.

Ongoing talks on the librarys budget will not be done until Lansdale Borough formally adopts its 2014 budget, likely during the council meeting on Dec. 18, but Meyer said that budget will likely include one change the library will greatly appreciate.

Exact comparisons are difficult due to budget calculation changes, but the boroughs 2010 budget brought significant cuts to the librarys budget from the previous year, and a corresponding decrease in the hours the library was open for business later reversed thanks to budget reserves and numerous new library fundraisers, including monthly book sales and annual recycling, Trivia Night, Oktoberfest and beer tasting events

According to Meyer, from a high-water mark of $390,525 in money given from the borough to the library in 2009, the boroughs contribution was cut to $300,000 in 2010, with gradual increases in recent years to $350,000 in 2011 and 2012, $365,000 in 2013 and a proposed $380,000 in 2014, which Meyer said will get us one step closer to the previous levels.

With the approval of that budget, the library will be able to continue to provide the books, resources, and programs that keep Lansdales minds in motion, he said.

The librarys Trivia Night fundraiser on Nov. 16 raised several hundred dollars for that fundraising revenue stream, according to Meyer and library Committee Chair Mary Fuller, and Molly Maguires Irish Pub and Restaurant expressed strong interest in hosting it again in 2014.

Weve already talked about ways we can expand (the event) next year. It was a win-win for all of us, and we know we can grow that event, said Fuller, who added that councilman Mike Sobel has volunteered to emcee and write trivia questions in 2014 after he steps down from council.

Donation letters asking for contributions and offering group discounts to the library are being developed and sent to local communities, according to Meyer and Fuller, and Sobel has also offered to give a presentation on the First World War in August 2014, 100 years after that conflict began.

For more information on the Lansdale Public Library and its ongoing events, call (215) 855-3228, visit www.Lansdalelibrary.org, search for Lansdale Public Library on Facebook or follow @LansdaleLibrary on Twitter.

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