Tag Archive for: Friends of the Mesa County Libraries

The Christi Reece Group’s Little Free Library in Grand Junction

The Christi Reece Group has taken a leap toward promoting literacy and community engagement. Introducing The Christi Reece Group’s Little Free Library right in front of our Grand Junction office! Take a book. Share a book. This exciting initiative stems from a passion for supporting local and a commitment to making a positive impact on the Grand Valley community.

We are located in the Las Colonias Park area near the Butterfly Pond, overlooking the zipline that crosses the Colorado River. A great place for a Little Free Library because it’s where people gather. Look for it by our parking area near the pond.

My wife, Michelle, and I have a connection with local libraries that started with our real estate brokerage in Minnesota. We established a strong relationship with local libraries and their respective friends’ groups. Michelle served on the Board of the Carver County Library Foundation and used her skills to volunteer to make a website for each Friends Group in Carver County, Minnesota.

Inspired by our library experiences, I knew we had to continue our partnership mentality with the Mesa County Libraries Foundation.

Little Free Library at The Christi Reece Group Office in Grand Junction, Colorado

Little Free Library at The Christi Reece Group

I approached Christi and the team with the idea of partnering with the Mesa County Libraries foundation and requested we install a Little Free Library at our office. The response was overwhelmingly positive, and thus, our Little Free Library found its new home in front of The Christi Reece Group office in Grand Junction. A new partnership was formed. Read my post about Mesa County Libraries and be sure to get your Library Card!

As real estate professionals, we understand the significance of helping individuals with their housing needs. That often involves packing up, decluttering, and donating items. We wanted to become a book drop-off site, encouraging residents in the Grand Valley to donate their books during the process of selling their homes. The entire team at The Christi Reece Group is dedicated to being the go-to resource for anyone looking to contribute to the community through book donations. I had one past client donate a collection of over 1,000 books to our local library. The Friends group was so thankful!

We’ve made the book donation process convenient for you. You can drop off your books at The Christi Reece Group office in Grand Junction during regular business hours. Or, we can arrange to pick up the books from your location. This ensures that our Little Free Library remains stocked and ready for readers to explore new literary adventures.

What sets this initiative apart is the commitment to recycling and promoting sustainability. Recognizing that many home sellers may overlook the value of donating books, The Christi Reece Group ensures that these books don’t end up in landfills. We will donate any extra books we get to the Friends of Mesa County Libraries. This helps support their weekend book sales that, in turn, generate funds to support local library cultural programming and equipment. It’s truly a win-win for everyone involved!

For those who choose to contribute, The Christi Reece Group goes the extra mile by providing a tax donation receipt from the Mesa County Libraries Foundation. This not only acknowledges the value of the donation but also provides a tangible benefit for those looking to support charitable causes.

Over the course of my real estate career, I’ve witnessed the impact of a library partnership, emphasizing the importance of encouraging individuals to donate books. This not only preserves literary treasures but also aligns with The Christi Reece Group’s commitment to making a positive difference in the community.

Little Free Library appWhether you have a handful of books or an extensive library, we welcome your contribution. (Please NO encyclopedias, textbooks or magazines.) Residents are encouraged to fill our CRG Little Free Library with their favorite reads while discovering new gems to take home and enjoy. “Take a Book. Share a Book.”

If you’re already living in Grand Junction or planning a visit, make sure to swing by The Christi Reece Group’s Little Free Library to find your next adventure. Find us on the Little Free Library app!

Stay updated on book drives, donation information, and community events by following The Christi Reece Group on Facebook. For those looking to arrange a book pick-up, reach out to Paul Aspelin directly at 612-306-9558 or contact the front desk at 970-589-7700.

I couldn’t be prouder to initiate The Christi Reece Group’s Little Free Library in Grand Junction to help foster community engagement, literacy promotion, and sustainability. By joining forces with the Mesa County Libraries Foundation, we have created a platform for residents to contribute to a more vibrant and connected community, one book at a time. Read my post about why I chose The Christi Reece Group.

Little Free Library in Grand Junction

Find us on the Little Free Library App on your mobile device!

The Christi Reece Group
1601 Riverfront Dr, Ste 103
Grand Junction, CO 81501

Connect with me on LinkedIn

PAUL ASPELIN, REALTOR®
GRI, SRES®, CNE
Text/Call 612-306-9558

© 2024 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR®. MovetoGrandJunction.com Copyright protected. All rights reserved.

 

A world of adventure at the Grand Junction Library and 7 more locations in Mesa County

Guest Post by Ami Schiffbauer, Mesa County Libraries Development Director

Mesa County Libraries logo

Welcome to Grand Junction Colorado!

Anyone who’s moved to Grand Junction, Colorado from another part of the country knows that each place is unique. Public libraries across the country can vary significantly from one area to another. All libraries have books, of course, and many also offer audiobooks, DVDs, and video games to check out, too. Mesa County Libraries have all of these, but that’s only a small fraction of what’s available for free to Mesa County residents with their library card.

Library Card Holder Benefits

970West Studio Logo Mesa County Libraries

The 970West Studio, located at 5th and Ouray in Grand Junction, is a public multimedia production studio and Artist in Residence space.

In addition to the items mentioned above, library card holders can also check out board games, passes to local museums and parks (including the Colorado National Monument), and digital camera kits. The camera kits are offered through the library’s 970West Studio, a multimedia production studio where people can learn how to use digital recording equipment to create videos, edit digital photographs, and record podcasts. Right next to the studio, the library’s Discovery Garden offers an oasis of nature in downtown Grand Junction, a place where anyone can come to learn about different gardening techniques or just relax and enjoy the beauty of the garden, along with fresh produce in the summer and early fall.

Mesa County Libraries Programs and Online Resources

With eight branches around the county, Mesa County Libraries offer numerous programs each month for people of all ages to connect with one another, like storytime, Teen Time, local history talks, and book clubs. Programs are available whether you’re in Grand Junction or in a nearby town. You can also access an abundance of online materials from anywhere with an internet connection. That includes downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks, free streaming movies and TV on Kanopy and Hoopla, and national newspapers like the New York Times and Washington Post, among many other eResources. And if a patron wants an item that’s not in the Mesa County Libraries’ collection, it can usually be found through Marmot or Prospector, the regional and state-wide organizations that make it easy to get materials from other libraries delivered to your home library location.

Volunteer Opportunities

For new Mesa County residents who want to connect with their community, the library also offers several opportunities for volunteers throughout the year. This includes planting, weeding, and harvesting in the Discovery Garden, working with English learners and students preparing to take the GED through the Adult Learning Center, and helping in various capacities with our two large annual events, Comic Con and Culture Fest.

Friends of the Mesa County Libraries

Mesa County Libraries and Grand Junction Library

You get to choose the design of your Mesa County Library Card!

Volunteers are also welcome to join the Friends of MCL in their ongoing work of sorting and selling donated books to help support library programs throughout the year. The Friends are part of the Mesa County Libraries Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization created in 1994 to help support and expand library programs with donations, grants, and bequests.

Call Paul Aspelin at 612-306-9558 if you have books to donate to the Friends of Mesa County Libraries. He can pick up your donations.

Get Your Library Card

All you need to sign up for a Mesa County Library card is a photo ID and proof of a Mesa County address. Visitors to Mesa County are also welcome to stop by and use one of our many public computers or free Wi-Fi, attend library programs, check out local art created by community members and our current Artist in Residence, or just enjoy a comfortable space to read and relax. The library’s friendly and knowledgeable staff are always happy to help with any questions you may have.

We hope to see you soon!

Mesa County Library Locations – (Library Hours)

Grand Junction Library (Central Library)
443 N. 6th St. Grand Junction, CO 81501  970-243-4442

Clifton Branch
3270 D 1/2 Road Clifton, CO 81520  970-434-6936

Collbran Branch
111 Main St. Collbran, CO 81624  970-487-3545

De Beque Branch
730 Minter Ave. De Beque, CO 81630  970-283-8625

Fruita Branch
324 N. Coulson St. Fruita, CO 81521  970-858-7703

Gateway Branch
42700 Highway 141 Gateway, CO 81522  970-931-2428

Orchard Mesa Branch
230 E Lynwood St. Grand Junction, CO 81503  970-243-0181

Palisade Branch
119 W. 3rd St. Palisade, CO 81526  970-464-7557

© 2024 Paul Aspelin, REALTOR® and Ami Schiffbauer, Mesa County Libraries Development Director. MovetoGrandJunction.com Copyright protected. All rights reserved.