Letters from the President

Stay connected to our journey through reflections and updates from Marlan Green, President of FoMPL. From new beginnings to growing momentum, these letters highlight our shared efforts to support the Martinsburg Public Library and strengthen our community. 

Letter from the President August 2026

Dear Friends!

There is a BIG CELEBRATION coming, and you’re invited!

The Roaring Twenties Library Centennial Celebration & Fundraiser is going to be epic, and you definitely don’t want to miss it! It has been a lot of work putting this evening together, and we’re looking forward to kicking back, sipping champagne, listening to Jordan Siwek tickle the ivories, and singing along to some favorite tunes.

Ever wanted to learn the proper way to dance the Charleston? We’ve got you covered! Kat Adams, Director of Rhythm n’ Motion and Artistic Director of Turning Pointe Dance Company, will be on hand to teach us some authentic Charleston moves. PLUS, Ben Mauger’s Vintage Jazz Band will be playing authentic 1920s jazz while you show off your new dance skills!

Your admission ticket includes plenty of 1920s-inspired appetizers from Brix 27, a glass of champagne (or a non-alcoholic equivalent), and one drink ticket for the bar. We’ll be serving beer, wine, champagne, and mocktails.

And that’s just the beginning! The evening will feature:

• 🎹 A piano bar with pianist Jordan Siwek

• 🎶 Plenty of opportunities to sing along

• 🎷 Ben Mauger’s Vintage Jazz Band playing authentic 1920s jazz

• 💃 Charleston dance lessons

• 🏆 A silent auction

• 🎟️ Basket raffle

• 🎰 50/50 raffle

• 📸 Photo booth

• 🎬 Silent movies playing throughout the library

• 🎁 And a few special surprises!

This is not a sit-down dinner, but there will be plenty of delicious food throughout the evening to keep you fueled for all the fun.

We’ll be taking over the entire library, with plenty of places to sit—whether you want to be right next to the action and music or find a quieter spot to relax and visit with friends.

Most importantly, all funds raised through the event, raffles, and auction will benefit the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries.

So grab your flapper dress, your zoot suit, or your favorite 1920s-inspired outfit and come celebrate 100 years of the library!

I hope you can join us. It’s gonna be a Roarin’ Good Time!

Grateful as always,

Marlan Green, MLIS
President
Friends of the Martinsburg Public Library

Letter from the President June 2026

A Busy Spring, an Epic Fall, and Ways to Get Involved This Summer

Summer is here!

Spring has been packed with activities, and as summer looms the temperatures are climbing. I'm excited to share that our Monarch Waystation and Pollinator Garden is officially in place! A huge thank you to Maryse and Ben for shepherding this wonderful project from idea to reality. The garden will need ongoing care throughout the season. If you would like to help with watering and weeding, please contact Maryse Biernat at fompl@mbcpl.org.

While we don't have many activities scheduled for the summer, we do have one big event just around the corner. Comic Con is Saturday, June 6, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. We need volunteers to help sell used books and staff the Friends of the Library table. 

If you can spare a few hours, we'd love your help! 

Sign up via the sign-up form

Looking ahead, preparations are well underway for the MBCPL Centennial Celebration & Fundraiser, taking place Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM. We have recently made several sponsorship agreements with local businesses for the event. Most significantly, Brackens Painting (www.brackenspainting.com)  will be providing in-kind services and painting the 2-story room with the tall windows!

On June 1, we launched our Centennial website and begin online ticket sales: www.friends-of-mpl.org/100-years.

Please share this website with friends, family, coworkers, and local businesses. Visitors will be able to learn about the event, purchase tickets, become sponsors, make donations, and discover other ways to support the library's next century of service.

NOTICE!  Members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets at $55 instead of the full price of $75  IF you agree to volunteer for 60 minutes during the event!

Simply fill out this CC Member Volunteer form to get your Member Volunteer Discount Code.

This celebration is going to be unforgettable. For one night only, the library will be transformed into a roaring 1920s speakeasy, dance hall, and gambling parlour featuring no-stakes games. Guests will enjoy a vintage jazz band, a lively piano bar, signature cocktails and delicious food catered by Brix 27. The evening will also feature silent auctions, raffles, photo booths, and other surprises.

Dust off your fringe dresses and fedoras, there will be prizes for the best-dressed guests! Learn the Charleston, try your luck at the roulette wheel, and party like it's 1926. Limited childcare will also be available in the Children's Library.

Want to help make this event a success? Join us every Thursday at 5:00 PM at the Martinsburg Public Library as we plan, and prepare for a truly memorable evening. Whether you have a specific skill to offer or simply want to lend a hand, we'd love to have you involved.

Grateful as always,

Marlan Green, MLIS
President
Friends of the Martinsburg Public Library

"In a speakeasy, everyone's equal—as long as they have a password." — Anonymous

"Can't repeat the past? Why of course you can—in a speakeasy!" — Anonymous

Letter from the President March 2026

The State of FoMPLandia – A Letter from the President

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

Dear, dear, amazing FoMPLonians:

From December 17 to February 19, 61 volunteers (not all FoMPL members) logged 490 hours of service. At $28 per volunteer hour, that represents a $13,720 gift to the Martinsburg–Berkeley County Public Libraries.

WOW!

I hope that’s your reaction as you read this letter. What we accomplished in nine short weeks is nothing short of remarkable, and a powerful testament to how deeply our community values its library.

This was not the work of one person or one group. It was the result of neighbors, volunteers, donors, staff, board members, and friends all moving in the same direction with a shared purpose.

And that, more than anything, is what makes these nine weeks so extraordinary.

Some of you may have heard me tell the story of how the Women’s Club of Martinsburg raised $8,000 over six months in 1925–1926 to establish the library. I believe our efforts honor those women and their achievement by demonstrating that the people of Martinsburg still support their library and want it to remain a cornerstone of our city.

Now that we have the ball rolling, let’s keep up the momentum! There’s a pollinator garden to plant, a fundraising gala to plan, Comic Con to support, columns needing repair, and much more. Let’s make the 100th anniversary of our library something truly worth celebrating.

We have much work to do and I look forward to discussing it with you at the:

Spring Members Meeting

Thursday, March 26, 2026

• Second floor of MPL

• 5:00 - 5:30 Social Hour

• 5:30 - 7:00 Meeting

With the utmost respect and appreciation,

Marlan Green, MLIS
President
Friends of the Martinsburg Public Library

"The library is a place where we address not just the minds, but also the hearts of our community."

 — Nancy Pearl

Activities completed during the reopening effort:

• Moving books (an estimated 24,000 volumes!)

• Weeding, shifting, and shelf-reading call numbers

• Disassembling, moving, cleaning, and reassembling shelving

• Planning the ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception

• Raising $625 for refreshments and fulfilling a $300 wish list for supplies and decorations

• Event setup: balloons, tables, food preparation, and serving

• Working with the Berkeley Arts Council and The Coop to mount an art exhibit

Letter from the President January 2026

Dear FoMPLonians, 

If you have not heard already - Martinsburg Public Library is opening in February! Hooray! And it will open with a celebration! There will be a Ribbon Cutting at 11 AM on Thursday, February 19th followed by a light refreshment reception hosted by FoMPL!

This is our chance to bring our talents to the table to help the library SHINE! Would you like to volunteer to organize THE PARTY 

of the year! E-mail fompl@mbcpl.org and let us know.

This coming Saturday, January 24th is also our first volunteer session! Ready to move books!?! It’s great exercise! This will help you with your new year’s resolutions! We will have several volunteer shifts over the next three or four weeks. There are some in the mornings (9-12), afternoons (1-4)  and evenings (4-7) and a morning and afternoon shift on Saturdays! 

Volunteering is "Weather Permitting. The Friends will reach out with schedule changes.

You can sign up for shifts on Sign Up Genius via this sign up link

Note: There are different levels of physical activity related  to moving the books. Some of the work can be done sitting and some needs to be standing and bending over. Just sign up whenever you can and we’ll figure out something that will work for you. AT THE VERY LEAST just sign up and come hang out with us!

Marlan Green, MLIS
President
Friends of the Martinsburg Public Library

2025 Letters