Friends of the Alameda Free Library
NEWSLETTER
September 2005
Our 31st Year -- Vol. 31 #1

Statement of purpose: To increase public awareness of the library as an essential part of the community’s educational and cultural facilities. And to support and cooperate with the library in developing library services and facilities.

President's Report

The Friends "year" starts in September. Dues are due. We meet again after a summer break. And this year we've decided to take a fresh look at our activities by asking you to fill out the survey that's included in this newsletter. It lists our current activities along with some possible new ones and asks you to rank them. There's also space at the bottom of the survey for comments.

Please let us know how we can improve our events. Or you can offer suggestions for other new activities. We've also provided space for you to check the activities for which you'd like to volunteer. We need your ideas and we need your help!

Membership in the Friends runs from September through August. Please check the mailing label on the back of this newsletter to see if your member-ship is current. If it says "member through 2005" (or earlier!), that means it's time to renew. Send your check along with the membership form to the Friends at P. O. Box 1024, Alameda, CA 94501. An envelope is attached to this newsletter for your convenience.

~Molly Skeen

From the Minutes

Thanks to Chris Christopher for taking the June minutes.

Treasurer. We netted $13,602.21 from the June book sale.

Sale Summary

We received $81.00 in memberships and a $25.00 donation to honor Elaine Woods on her 90th birthday. This donation came from Don and Vivian Patterson. This is the best sale I've seen. ~John Quick

Membership. Peter reports 226 members are paid up through 2005. Sixty of them are new.

Junior Friends. Jo reported on the event at the BFI branch May 21: five members and seven children attended. There is one possible co-sponsor for the Junior Friends this Fall but Molly pointed out we really need two or the Junior Friends will have to be disbanded.

Library Director's Report. Susan noted that the council is unhappy with the policy for donations, and this is to be reviewed later. There have been no further reductions in the library's hours or budget.

Library Building Team Report. Honora reported that the subcommittees are meeting and have appeared before the council. All work on the building is proceeding on schedule.

Old Business: Funding request. Jane Chisaki's request for funds for the summer reading program was brought up again. Honora said we need to have itemized budgets from everyone who requests funding. Gert moved we accept Jane's budget, Honora seconded, and all approved.

New Business: Library children's programs. Jo suggested that we distribute materials at the book sale about our support of children's programs. Molly will provide a list of our projects, and Jo will make a poster for that purpose.

Internet book sales. Chris reported on Internet book selling, which might be an addition to our regular book sales. Amazon or other sites can act as hosts, or we could have our own web site. Several members pointed out that, for the Friends, there would be problems with sorting the books, posting the descriptions online, and filling the orders. We would need many volunteers and plenty of storage space. A long discussion of the pros and cons ensued, which Honora brought to a close by recommending that we consider this activity later, when we will have more storage space. Molly felt we should keep it in mind and not give up on the idea. For the present, Chris suggested having a list of especially popular topics or books that could be set aside for possible online sale later. Li said this could be a way of dealing with many junk books, and some volunteers might be willing to spend time posting titles online.

New director position. Honora noted her alarm about a recent statement from the mayor, suggesting that a single person act as director of the library and of Recreation & Parks. Friends should lobby the council for a professional library director who has no other responsibilities. Donna also moved that Molly be allowed to attend any city meetings for this purpose over the summer. The motion was unanimously approved.

Book Sale. Adair brought a signup sheet for the coming sale, noting that no one has called her to volunteer, and this is a continuing problem. Molly said we may need to have a volunteer coordinator for future sales, as Adair and Gert should not have to bludgeon us into helping. Gert reported that more than 900 boxes of books are ready for the sale. Kate noted that the Alameda Sun said the sale would be at the Wood School, and that we need to put a sign and map there in order to direct people to the O Club. Molly said that Nancy Brandt has called the Sun to request a correction.

~Carol Stone

From Susan...

Dear Friends of the Library,
By the time you read this, I will have retired as Director of the Alameda Free Library. It has been a wonderful six years during which we have accomplished our most important goal. Some of you have worked for thirty years and more to realize Alameda's dream of a new Main Library, and now you are watching the new library rise. After so much effort--the actual construction seems amazingly fast! The Library is very impressive already, and will grow more beautiful as the brick goes up, the windows go in, and the art is installed in the spring.

Thank you so much for your support over the years. Thank you for funding our Children's and Teens' Summer Reading Programs, for your support for the Literacy program, for financial and logistical sup-port during our author events, parties and birthday events. Thank you also, most sincerely, for your very generous contribution to the public art lime-stone medallions, currently being created in the studio of Yuki Nagase and Michele Ku.

On a personal note, it was wonderful to see so many Friends at the party on August 11 -- I appreciate my gift!! Working in Alameda has been a wonderful experience for me. Collaborating with the Friends has been my pleasure, and I will always have the fondest memories of you.

Affectionately, Susan Hardie

The Bookies......?

Do you belong to a book club? Do you enjoy hearing authors speak? Then bring yourself, your friends, your book club and join us for the 1st annual Bookies by the Bay. Alameda Reads is partnering with three Library Literacy Programs, Books by the Bay, and A Great Good Place for Books in a fund-raising dinner at the Waterfront Plaza Hotel in Jack London Square. Please join us Thursday, September 22, 2005, 6:30-No host cocktails. 7:00 p.m-Dinner.

Andrew Sean Greer, author of "The Confessions of Max Tivoli", will be our special guest. Josh Braff, author of "The Unthinkable Thoughts of Jacob Green" will also be speaking. Tickets are $50 for dinner, dessert, and wine. Call Alameda Reads for more information, 865-2454 or buy your tickets now at A Great Good Place for Books 510-339-8210 (www.agreatgoodplaceforbooks.com).

Friends Officers & Committee Chairs

President: Molly Skeen
Vice President: Richard Kolberg
Treasurer: John Quick
Recording & Corresponding Secretary: vacant
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: vacant
Author Night Coord.: Virginia Jones
Bulletin Board Coord.: Susan Michael
BALIS Representative: Marc Lambert

Friends of the Alameda Free Library Member Survey

Please indicate your level of interest in each of the following activities. Use the space after the survey for your suggestions or comments, for example, on how we might improve our semi-annual book sales.

If you'd like to volunteer, please give us contact information: