SpyBall:
Secrets in the Stacks

The 19th Annual Library Gala, SpyBall: Secrets in the Stacks will take place Saturday, November 4, 2023, at the Abingdon Library.

The theme celebrates the 70th Anniversary of Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels.

In the spirit of the suave and sophisticated 007, the SpyBall will transport guests to a glamorous world of mystery and intrigue featuring mouthwatering cuisine and an imaginative drink menu by Evolved Catering and Events aka The Local, high energy musical entertainment by the Klassix, a mock casino, a jewelry raffle by Saxon’s Diamond Centers, an escape room and many other entertaining surprises to delight you and your guests.

Silent Auction

In addition, the SpyBall will feature an astounding silent auction with sensational packages just in time for the holiday season.

Mystery & Intrigue

In the spirit of the suave and sophisticated 007, the SpyBall will transport guests to a glamorous world of mystery and intrigue featuring mouthwatering cuisine and an imaginative drink menu by Evolved Catering and Events aka The Local, high energy musical entertainment by the Klassix, a mock casino, a jewelry raffle by Saxon’s Diamond Centers, an escape room and many other entertaining surprises to delight you and your guests.

Supporting the Harford County Library

The SpyBall will be outstanding, glamorous and fun, but it is also critical to the Library’s efforts to continue to provide exceptional services and resources to citizens in Harford County….

The Annual Gala is the Library’s largest fundraiser and critical to efforts to provide resources, services, and programs to all citizens of Harford County including early literacy programs, STEM resources, internet and information access, and much, much more. Your support is more important than ever as the Library’s two outreach vehicles and the Bel Air, Edgewood, Aberdeen and Joppa Libraries require much needed refurbishments.

Rolling Reader

This year Gala proceeds will support the Rolling Reader, a mobile library offering programs, reading materials, technology, and other resources to underserved communities in Harford County.

Its mission is to promote the love of reading and learning and improve school readiness in the form of targeted outreach to low-income communities. The 23-year-old bookmobile serves the County’s most vulnerable children, who do not have easy access to transportation. Families can check out books, science kits, and other items and return them when the Rolling Reader visits their community again.

In the first six months of 2023, the Rolling Reader hosted 458 programs for nearly 10,000 children and caregivers. Programs include story times for Head Start Centers, Judy Centers, Title One Intervention and APG Child Development Centers, and STEM programs for elementary and middle school students at the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA Clubs, and APG Youth Centers. During the summer, the Rolling Reader also visits county summer camps to provide books, programming, and the Summer Reading Challenge to children, who may not otherwise have access to the library. So far this year, Rolling Reader audiences have checked out 22,310 books!

The Rolling Reader has required increasingly extensive repairs over the last five years. Recently Harford County Fleet Management determined that it must be replaced.

The estimated cost for a new Rolling Reader is $450,000.