ROULETTE — A group of volunteers is continuing efforts to raise funds to keep the Roulette Library open and available to the public.

A library committee now meets on the first Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. in the Library.  Meetings are open to anyone interested in helping with the library in any way. Anyone who cannot make the meetings but has ideas that would help is asked to contact the committee.

In January, the committee made a plea to the public for support. A letter was sent to all businesses in the Roulette area asking for monetary donations or items for an upcoming fundraising event.

Organizers are planning an event for April 14 at the Riverside United Methodist Church. Volunteers will be taking orders for hoagies that can be picked up that day, while there will be a lunch offered, an auction and a special raffle of hand-picked items.

Also, at 2 p.m. that day David Castano will present a historical program on the original natural gas boom on Card Creek and the ensuing effect it had on the Roulette area.

The April 14 activities are part of celebrating National Library Week, which is April 9-14.

Anyone who has items they would like to donate to the auction or would like to make a monetary contribution, get in touch with Ilene Altenhein, committee secretary, at minamayor111@gmail.com, or (814) 274-9798.

Activities and goals for the committee to improve the library include:

• Getting two computers back in service for public use. With the help of monetary donations from the committee a new computer and librarians’ program were purchased.

• Upgrading outdated electrical service to the building.

• A book and bake sale was held at the library during the Town-Wide Yard Sales.

• The committee has been weeding out books and looking for donations to be able to get more new volumes.

• A summer reading program was held.  Volunteers set up a rock-painting table and sold books during the Family Fun Day at the Skate Park and a Christmas book reading and take-home craft day was held at the library in December.

• Committee members say they want to make the library a place not only for borrowing books or using a computer, but also for holding meetings.