STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK
Sun Valley Brewery is rolling out a commemorative brew. Vicki Aberbach will demonstrate line dancing to the music of the Kim Stocking Band. And a giant Stinker Station skunk will preside over a Kid’s Carnival with balloon-powered car races, games like Wheel of Fortune and Plinko Board with prizes for the winners.
It’s all part of the Hailey Public Library’s free Centennial Bash, celebrating the 100th birthday of this long-standing institution.
The fun kicks off at 4 p.m. with a free hour-long historic tour of downtown Hailey led by historian Rob Lonning, who created an app featuring images of the historic buildings accompanied by written commentary.
The Kim Stocking Band will play from 5 to 8 p.m. with food and beverages available for purchase from Lago Azul, Sun Valley Shave Ice and Sun Valley Brewery.
The library will raffle off a Tempt 3 mountain bike made by Liv during the event. Inside an exhibit of Martyn Mallory’s historic images of Hailey will be on display.
And participants will be encouraged to write or draw memories of a memorable library experience or write a note to future generations. These Story Sharing memories and items contributed by the public will be curated, and selected items will be placed in a time capsule to be opened in 50 years.
The library was founded by the Hailey Civic Improvement Club on Feb. 19, 1919, and it’s been marking the occasion with various events throughout the year.
Unfortunately, just eight years after the club rented an unpretentious room in the old Idaho National Bank building at Main and West Bullion a fire destroyed the library and all the books that had been collected in a book drive.
Within a week, a “Help the Library” fund was launched and the library was reestablished in the old assayer’s office, now the site of the Emmanuel Episcopal Church Thrift Store. The library relocated to a building on West Carbonate now occupied by The Advocates’ Attic in 1970.
In 1987 the Friends of the Hailey Public Library was formed to move and expand the library. And in 1994 the Friends found a space in the historic J.C. Fox Building, which the library shares today with Hailey City Hall.
The library served nearly 98,000 patrons and circulated 58,000 adult items and 35,000 children’s items in 2018. it also offered 330 educational programs and signed up 761 new patrons that year.
“I grew up in Hailey and for me the library was always the place to go to explore the world through books,” said Library Director LeAnn Gelskey. “As vital cultural institutions, libraries are safe, welcoming and inclusive environments for everyone in the community.
“The Centennial Celebration is truly a once-in-a-lifetime event for our library and our community. I hope everyone comes out to help celebrate the library’s 100th birthday with us.”