LAST CALL!!
To Help with President's Book Sale
February 18-19-20
Al DeWitt Officer's Club Alameda Point
Help, help, help is still needed for this big Book Sale. There are three sales rooms and volunteers needed in each room. PLEASE call Adair (510-865-0347) to help.
~Adair Jorgensen
New Library Groundbreaking March 1
On Tuesday March 1st, we'll reach another important milestone for Alameda's new library. A groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for 1:00 pm that day with a reception following at City Hall. Speakers will include Library Board President Leslie Krongold, Library Director Susan Hardie and Mayor Beverly Johnson. Several other state and local officials have also been invited to speak, but have not confirmed at this writing. Cake and cider will be served at the City Hall reception. At our January meeting, the Friends voted to contribute $500 to help cover expenses for this event. The Alameda Free Library Foundation also donated $500.
Bylaws Update
At our November meeting, Gert Woods commented that the Friends might want to reconsider our "Building Fund." For some years now, we have set aside one half of the proceeds of each book sale for the Building Fund with the idea that this money would eventually go toward furnishings in the new library. Since the financing of the new library stipulates a turnkey project, money for furnishings may not be needed.
A committee, including Donna Vaughn, Gert Woods, and Kate Quick, has been formed to
review our bylaws with regard to the Building Fund and make recommendations for changes to
the membership. The committee found that the bylaws don't specifically mention the Building
Fund, so they've recommended a change in policy that would provide flexibility for the use
of the funds we raise. We will discuss this proposal at our next meeting and invite all
members to come and participate. Here's the wording of the proposed new policy:
"Establish a new fund, titled Library Enhancement Fund, the purpose of which will be to receive monies raised from fundraising and distribute them for library needs on the basis of enrichment, not replacement of public tax support."
A Note from the President
I hope you will join us for the March 1st groundbreaking ceremony for our new Main Library. The Friends have worked hard for this day -- raising money, raising awareness, raising expectations. This will be a day for speeches, thank-yous and congratulations. I've heard that the construction crew will be on hand and may even start the real digging that very day!
For us, there is more work ahead. We have book sales to conduct, author night programs to attend, and a cafe for the new library to plan. If you'd like to be more active with the Friends, please give me a call at 865-7439.
~Molly Skeen
From the Minutes
Treasurer. We received a one-time donation that would be matched by the donor's employer, John will check with the bank how this can be handled. He also reported the Friends received a $500 donation several months ago.
Moved, seconded and passed that up to $20 thousand be transferred from the checking account to savings, as long as the checking account balance does not drop below $10 thousand.
Membership. Peter reported there are 278 members paid through 2005. Fifteen of
them are new.
Book Sale. The Al DeWitt Officer's Club will provide setup tables. A beautiful child's quilt is available for the silent auction. The Junior Friends will have a table by the entrance.
Junior Friends. Two posters picturing recent Junior Friends' participation in activities are available for recruiting.
Alameda Reads Program. Chris Bruso, interim director, delivered a card signed by several students thanking the Friends for support of the book club. Several tutors and students have expressed interest in helping with the book sale and with author nights.
Officers. Molly and Marilyn Ng polled the officers for job descriptions. These have been received and are available for finding future officeholders.
Field Trips. Molly and Carol continue to plan fun events and informal
get-togethers for the Friends. They will keep us posted.
~Carol Stone
Free Workshop for Friends
The BALIS/PLS Workshop for Friends of Libraries is set for Saturday, February 26, 2005 at the San Francisco Public Library. Time is 9:30 - 11:30am and we're lining up a dynamite speaker: Deborah Doyle, former President of San Francisco Public Library Friends and Foundation and now a fellow library student! All Friends of the Library members are encouraged to attend and share ideas with other Library Friends from throughout the Bay Area. The workshop is free BUT we do ask that you contact Kevin Terada the coordinator at (650) 349-5538 or terada@plsinfo.org at least one week ahead if you plan to attend.
~Marc Lambert
Day in the District
Four of us from Alameda -- Director Susan Hardie, Board member Ruth Belikove, Building Team member Marilyn Ezzy Ashcraft, and I -- attended the California Library Association Day in the District. We visited the offices of State Senator Don Perata and Assemblywoman Wilma Chan at the State Building in downtown Oakland. Our primary purpose was to thank them for their support of libraries and restate our invitation for them to attend the groundbreaking.
We also were starting to rally their support for the Library Bond Act of 2006 on the
ballot June of that year. Although we were only able to speak with Senator Perata's aide,
Wilma Chan joined us briefly and confirmed that she definitely planned to attend the
groundbreaking! If you attend the groundbreaking, be sure to give the assemblywoman your
thanks for her support for our library.
Friends Officers & Committee Chairs
President: Molly Skeen
Vice President: Richard Kolberg
Treasurer: John Quick
Recording & Corresponding Secretary: Carol Stone
Membership Chair: Peter Woods
Book Sale Cochairs: Adair Jorgensen & Gert Woods
Book Sale Chair Emeritus: Lois Hanna
Fire Department Volunteers Coordinator: Archie Waterbury
Publicity Chair: Open
Legislative & Parliamentarian: Donna Vaughn
Newsletter Editor: Marc Lambert
Webmaster: Steve Brandt
Jr. Friends Advisor: Jo Winzenread
Author Night Coord.: Virginia Jones
Bulletin Board Coord.: Open
BALIS Representative: Marc Lambert