A local library will hold its biggest fundraiser of the year this Friday, hoping to bring in enough money to maintain operations and buy better equipment.


This marks the ninth year the Cambria County Library will hold its  "A Little Night Music At The Library." Each year, the staff tries to make it bigger and better, and this year it's doing just that with help from locals.


Mary Lou Repsher, creator of the event, said, "The library collection has all kinds of different music in it, and we thought by having different genres of music, we could draw attention to that fact."


The event has local musicians performing live on all three floors of the building.


"We've had everything from steel drums to classical to jazz," Repsher said.

The artwork and decorations covering two of the three floors of the library were done by students in the Greater Johnstown and Ferndale high schools, which is one way students are showing their appreciation.


"I have had high school students come in saying, 'I need something by Mozart. I need to write a paper, and I need an example of that kind of music,' " she said.

With recent budget cuts, the library will be using the event's funding where it needs it most: education.


"We're going to put half of the funds toward upgrading the public lab. We have classes in there pertaining to the libraries database, online catalog and simply using how to use the Internet," she said.

And something new this year, the library will be giving away 100 books filled with pictures from the 1889 Johnstown flood, created by Johnstown resident Harold Burggraf.

A Little Night Music At The Library will start at 7 p.m. on Friday. Tickets cost $30 at the door or call, 814-536-5131.