President’s Report

Email is the greatest thing! In the past week I received email messages from three people who wanted to help the Friends in one way or another. One wanted to coordinate an outreach program to help Alameda's school libraries buy books at the Friends book sale. Another person wanted to help plan for the Friends cafe in the new library. And a third wanted to help us with internet book sales.

The phone is good, too. Last week I had a call from a mom who wanted to sign her daughter up with the Junior Friends. In-person works, too. One of our members heard that we needed a bulletin board coordinator and came to our April meeting to meet us and volunteer.

My point?? If you'd like to be more active with the Friends, send me an email (mmskeen@copper.net), give me a call (865-7439), or come to the next Friends meeting on May 16th.
(We still need a new Jr. Friends Advisor after Jo puts down the reins May 31. ~Ed.)

Have You Paid Your Dues?? Check the mailing label on the back of this newsletter to see if your dues are current. If it says "member through 2004", that means your membership has lapsed. We'll keep sending you a newsletter for a few months, but you won't receive tickets to the June book sale. To renew, just send your check along with the membership form to the Friends at P.O. Box 1024, Alameda, CA 94501. And be sure to check your areas of interest.

~Molly Skeen

From the Minutes

Library Director’s Report. Susan told us about the progress on construction of the new library, which is moving along well but "nearly invisible" at this stage. The new DYNIX circulation and catalog system has been installed, library staff has been trained, and the system is working well.

Library Building Team Report. Honora met again with Bill Norton, Susan Hardie, and Carl Benoit on April 7, learning that seismic tests on the site have been completed and the steel frame should be up by the end of August. The three subcommittees are continuing to meet, also.

Old Business: Author’s night. Molly reminded members that we will be sponsoring the next author’s night at the main library on April 26. Local author Pam Chun (When Strange Gods Call) will be featured, we will providing refreshments, and Chun’s books will be sold. Virginia Jones is coordinating the event.

Officers. Shelley gave the results of the nominating committee’s search for nominees for next year’s officers: Molly, Richard, and John have all agreed to continue in their present positions if elected. Carol has another commitment that will prevent her from serving yet another year as secretary. Numerous calls to promising members have had no result as yet, and so that position has been left open.

Bulletin Board. Susan Michael has agreed to coordinate the library’s bulletin board.

Adult literacy. Jordona Elderts contacted us again about the Alameda Reads! party, for which we had offered to send the invitations and thus save on their mailing costs. However, Jordona feels this will cause confusion, and asked if instead we can just contribute to the event, which will cost a total of $3000. This led to some questions, as Archie explained the mailing would have cost us only about $60. When Jordona is available to answer Friends’ questions, this will be explored further.

New Business. Books for schools. Guests Claudia Fenelon and Mark Schoenrock described their hope of providing $500 worth of books to the local school media centers by buying them in connection with the book sale. Members reacted enthusiastically to this generous gesture, as we are all eager to help the schools, but in the ensuing discussion, some logistical problems emerged:

Gert: We need to make anything like this inviting to everyone. We already invite teachers to come in as soon as the setup is completed; though the Wood teachers have taken advantage of this, many other district teachers have not, probably because of communication breakdowns. It’s difficult to notify everyone.

Claudia: I didn’t realize the teachers were invited. But if we get a huge turnout as the result of a mailing, $500 won’t be nearly enough!

Kate: Just sending a flyer to each school isn’t enough; it may never reach the media center. We need to be able to contact the entire staff at each school.

Donna: Is there an email address list for media specialists?

Claudia: I can get one through a contact at the schools.

Jo: The usual book-sale flyer can be emailed to the list.

Gert: Making appropriate selections is over-whelming for some teachers; they have to consider grade level, physical condition of books, and many other factors.

Claudia: I’ll get the address list and handle the communications. Instead of funding through the book sale, it may be better to just donate $500 to the schools through the AEF.

Kate: To maximize the $500, we could give teachers a receipt for the books they buy, and reimburse them up to a certain amount.

All: We may have to limit this to one grade level per sale or do something else to avoid teachers’ choosing more than $500 worth of books. In addition, we need to concentrate on the public schools, not the private ones.

Marilyn: Is there a special AEF fund for school libraries?

Claudia: Yes. Donors’ funds can be given for specific uses. I’ll talk to the AEF and ask about reimbursing teachers for their purchases at the sale.

The issue was left at that point. Members reiterated their praise of Claudia and Mark for making this contribution to education, and expressed the belief that we can solve the problems in order to maximize the funds.

Treasurer’s Report. John reports our net worth is about $218,000. He’s continuing to investigate funds and to invest in CDs having the highest yield.

Membership. Pete reported that his computer has been repaired and the membership data was still intact. 206 members have paid their dues through at least 2005, and 283 for both 2004 and 2005. We have 33 new members for 2005. There are also 25 members of the Junior Friends. Donna asked Pete for an updated list of Friends’ email addresses, as many of her notices have bounced back as undeliverable. ["We need to tell all the members that they must be up to date in their membership for 2005 by June 1st or they will not get free tickets for the sale.

Book Sales. Gert noted that many boxes are filled awaiting the June 24–26 sale, which is to be at the O Club. This time we will supply our own rectangular tables. Though there are now people upstairs in the former children’s library, we will remain there indefinitely. Moving to the Point would be too difficult, both in terms of transporting the books out there and in retrain-ing donors to take books there.

Junior Friends’ Report. Jo Winzenread described the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, held at the main library on April 16. The group provided cookies and crafts, and read stories to the children. At the May event, there will be a Celebrate America theme. Jo hopes to be replaced by a new advisor soon. Though this group is very active, only about 10 of the 25 members actually participate in events. Adair added that Junior members will be welcome as volunteers at the next book sale, but they need more supervision.

BALIS Report. Marc announced that the Legislative Day in Sacramento will be this Wednesday, and that Susan Hildreth’s confirmation hearing as the new State Librarian will be held then. ~Carol Stone

Special Note from Alameda Reads!

Alameda Reads!, our adult literacy program, will be celebrating 20 years offering adult and family literacy services on the Island. So mark Saturday, June 4 on your calendar and prepare to join Jordona, Pat and all the tutors and students in a big celebration 4–7pm, Alameda Veterans Hall, 2203 Central Ave.

Report from Monday basement workers (Book Sale Workers )

On Monday morns when we open the boxes of donated books, there sometimes are real surprises. One such Monday when a box was opened: What to our wondering eyes should appear -– sheet music -- not the norm but Braille. Knowing that a special someone had left it at our door, we decided it should be treated special. Barbara McGinley, one of our Monday workers did some research. On the following Monday, we boxed the Braille music and sent it to the San Francisco branch of The Lighthouse of the Blind. The Lighthouse paid the postage (which they do on any donation addressed to them with a return address of the Lighthouse). The Lighthouse was delighted to receive the music. We are using this to thank the special person who donated the music to the Friends as no name was left with the box. ~Adair Jorgensen

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 Co-chairs: Adair Jorgensen & Gert Woods
Book Sale Chair Emeritus: Lois Hanna
Fire Department Volunteers Coordinator: Archie Waterbury
Publicity Chair: Nancy Brandt
Legislative & Parliamentarian: Donna Vaughn
Newsletter Editor: Marc Lambert
Webmaster: Steve Brandt
Jr. Friends Advisor: Jo Winzenread
Author Night Coord.: Virginia Jones
Bulletin Board Coord.: Susan Michael
BALIS Representative: Marc Lambert