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Random House of Canada
Friend of the Year Award 2005
– Friends of the Cranbrook Public Library -

From left to right: Ursula Boy (Secretary), Marilyn Forbes (President), Pat Casey, April Baldwin (Vice President), Don Ohs (Past President), Jim Abbott (MP), Terry Burgess (Treasurer), Ken Strang, Karen Hendren and Michael Sharkey. Absent are Elaine Karras and Lois Pratt.

Jim Abbott, Member of Parliament, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage, accepted the award of behalf of the Friends during the Canadian Library Association Conference opening ceremonies,. In a special ceremony in Cranbrook he presented the plaque to delighted Friends in Cranbrook. Their library wins $500 worth of books from Random House of Canada.

Throughout 2007 Friends of Canadian Libraries will be celebrating the 10^th anniversary of our national association.

Please plan to join in the celebration, help us to record our history, and demonstrate the value of Friends to the library community.

At the Canadian Library Association conference in Calgary in 2005 – resting after an afternoon in the exhibit hall.

Nicholas Spillios was the Supervisor of Learning Resources for Edmonton Public Schools upon his retirement. He is a former Chair of the Edmonton Public Library Board and former president of the Friends of that Board. He is also a former president of the Canadian Library Trustees Association. He has been active on the American Library Trustees Association in various committees.

He has received the Canadian Library Trustees Association Merit Award and the Alberta Trustees Honorary Life Membership Award. He has been awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal and the Edmonton Citation Award for service to the community. He is the current president of the Alberta Association For Media Awareness and the

Canadian Multicultural Education Foundation. He prepares annually the Multicultural Video Resources Bibliography which is distributed to all schools by the Alberta Association For Multicultural Education. He is currently a freelance book reviewer for the Edmonton Journal and acts as a film reviewer and travel writer for Edmonton Senior.

Dorothy has been on the Friends of the Sault Ste. Marie Board for over 9 years and has been President for 7 years. She has held the position of Secretary of FOCAL for the past three years. She has volunteered for many community organizations over the years in various capacities, and has served on the CNIB Library Board since1997.

She is an advocate for the needs of people with disabilities. Dorothy served on a municipal committee providing advice to the City regarding accessibility planning issues and assisting with the delivery of training for city staff.

Dorothy is a former elementary school teacher. She and her husband Richard have three sons, Geoffrey, Andrew and Ian, ranging in age from 26 to 16 years old.

Dorothy is pictured on right, during her tour of duty in the exhibit hall at the Canadian Library Association conference in Ottawa this June. Lori Nash, left, of the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library, talks with a conference delegate.

Friends of the Library worked to develop a sense of positive energy and change within the community of Cranbrook and the surrounding rural area. The idea behind this was to present both the organization and the Cranbrook Public Library as agents of progressive development within the community. This was designed to blend with a forthcoming referendum on a new Library facility, which succeeded.

- Sponsoring a $140,00o+ grant that provided seven full time workers for the library for 8 months, cleaning and repairing 70,000 items in the collection and inserting magnetic security strips

- Surveying the city’s youth, and creating The Hub – both a physical space for youth and a portal web site specifically for youth – see www.cpla.cranbrook.ca/hub/index.html

- Securing partnerships in the community resulted in donations of $31,750.80 to the Cranbrook Public Library

- Promoting the involvement of teens in the Cranbrook Public Library, believing that only by building committed readers in the age category will the Library continue to survive through time

- Facilitating in-kind donations to the Cranbrook Public Library which included three new computers, new library furniture for The Hub, and more than $20,000 of magnetic security tape

- Publishing a Friends newsletter and creating a new Friends of the Library web site

- Producing six event plans which assist in making the chosen FOL events easier to produce, more goal orientated, and ensure that all events are directed toward the Friends mission of making the Cranbrook Public Library an outstanding civic institution accessible and important to everyone in the area.

- Purchasing and promoting prizes to support Library events such as a Sister City Reading Challenge

- Production and installation of a full suite of Library signage covering every aspect of Library activity

Plan to attend Canada’s largest library conference, and take part in the programming offered by Friends of Canadian Libraries. We plan to offer a special 10^th anniversary social event Friday evening. Watch our website for details on how to register.

Find out what Friends groups and library foundations have in common, and how we differ!

Learn more about CBC programming initiatives such as Canada Reads and Words at Large

Ontario Library Association 2007

January 31-February 3, 2007
Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Think Outside the Fundraising Box
Speaker: Todd Pennell, Executive Director, Winnipeg Library Foundation
Why is it important for libraries to fundraise, and how can we be successful in a highly competitive environment? Todd Penell, Executive Director, Winnipeg Library Foundation Inc. will explore fundraising strategies and outline the benefits and drawbacks of Foundations, Friends organizations and charitable status.

With a Little Help from My Friends
Speakers: Peggy Hiscock, Past President Friends of Canadian Libraries and Shirley Lewis, Ex Libris President

What do Friends of libraries and retired librarians have in common? Love of libraries, passion for library history and true spirit of volunteerism. Ex Libris & Friends enrich their library communities across the country. Come and see how.

Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Today – Part One
Speaker: Reva Cooper

Successful recruitment requires new ways of thinking about who volunteers, why they volunteer, and how to increase your volunteer pool opportunities. Workshop participants will share best practices for maintaining a quality volunteer program and learn about target recruiting, marketing and new program models.

Volunteer Recruitment and Retention Today – Part Two
Speaker: Reva Cooper

Workshop participants will leave with a plan for keeping the qualified, committed and satisfied volunteers who are the backbone of your organization. Share retention challenges, ideas and successes and learn how best to keep volunteers committed to your organization.

Bringing Canada Reads to Your Library
Speaker: Talin Vartanian, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation

A veteran CBC producer will talk about Canada Reads, one of the country's premier literary events, and - a work in progress - about Canada Reads for Teens. This will be an interactive session, offering delegates an opportunity to share ideas, and to consult with an experienced journalist about the challenges they face in garnering media attention for their library.

Discover the latest on Words at Large CBC’s portal on literature and literacy events. Words at Large is a web portal which provides access to radio programming, podcasts, a blog, lists and information that will entertain and inform you on the written word in Canada and around the world. ( www.cbc.ca/wordsatlarge)

Everything you wanted to ask about attending a conference but were afraid to ask . . .
by Nicholas Spillios

Conferences often play a major motivating role in the professional development of trustees. They may act as the turning point for a trustee in moving from the position of being an adequate and responsible one to that of an effective leader on a Board. Here are a few reasons for attending conferences.

Only a conference can give you that view from the mountain top. We need new ideas and perspectives on how other boards do business. The excitement of attending can give you just that.

Transferring ideas from one board to another never works. But adaptation and borrowing does. Here is a chance to bounce your ideas off others - getting their input and adjusting your views.

We can gain an understanding and an appreciation of the library world. And there is all that library jargon! You will learn the definition of such terms as data base, hard print / electronic print, and weeding. Acquire them and use them on the administration. They will be impressed.

Changes in technology are daunting. And many of the major funding requests received are associated with technological changes. Conferences afford us with the opportunity to become more knowledgeable.

Conferences act as the meeting place for experts on the library community. Arming ourselves with the skills and techniques which can better serve our libraries are acquired at conferences.

You will find some of the most professional and dedicated trustees at conferences. Looking back over the years, I treasure the friends and contacts I've made of some of the most dedicated trustees. I know that I can contact any one of them for advice and information and they won’t let me down.

A visit to the Exhibits is invaluable for updating yourself on new publications, new software and the hot authors of the moment. Authors” advance copies and posters for your library are yours for the asking.

Pre-registration is a must! Not only will you save yourself valuable time and buy into early rates but you will get announcements on the program and a schedule of demonstrations by the vendors.

Finally, some mention should be made concerning who should not attend. If you feel that you know everything there is to know about libraries, don't attend. If you are not committed to your library, or if you haven't taken a professional view of your role as a trustee anxious for his/her library to make a difference in the community, a conference is definitely not the place for you! For those who don't fall under these categories, plan to attend a conference soon!

(excerpts from a column for The Voice, newsletter of the Association for Library Trustees and Advocates, a division of the American Library Association)

By Dorothy Mcnaughton

There is nothing more frustrating than hearing about a best seller available only in standard size

print and therefore, not available to everyone. Fortunately, some of these books, with the publisher’s permission, are available in alternate formats, such as digital (DAISY) books, through the CNIB

The Friends of the Ottawa Public Library and the Friends of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library each sponsor a special program in their local libraries to increase services provided for individuals unable to read print. This service enables anyone in the community with a print disability to order materials, with the help of a librarian, which will be delivered to their library. Children can have access to more digital (DAISY) books on disc and Printbraille books; adults can read a wider selection of magazines and books on CD and in braille.

In Sault Ste. Marie, these materials can also be delivered by courier to people who have difficulty getting to the library.

The Friends received information about the CNIB Library’s Visunet Canada Partners Program from Library staff and were asked if they would like to offer their financial support.

By supporting this program, Friends are an important part of a community-wide outreach to bring library services to many who have not ever been able to enjoy their public library. People who are blind, have low vision or who have a learning disability will have more reading material to choose from and therefore, they can begin to receive better access to information than they’ve had in the past.

Our Friends group is happy to see some of the funds we raise used to benefit people who have often not used their public library in the past.

Congratulations readers in Wiarton and all those readers in other communities who completed their assigned reading! It is worth noting Bruce County branch libraries placed in the top three this year.

We also salute Friends of the Chelsey Branch of the Bruce County Public Library, for hosting our challenge every year. They have placed 2^nd in three out of the past five years. Will 2007 be their year?

For more information visit our website - www.friendsoflibraries.ca/canadareads.htm

Wiarton Branch Bruce County Public Library (Ont.)

Chesley Branch Bruce County Public Library (Ont.)

Tara Branch Library Bruce County Public Library (Ont.)

Rouleau Library Palliser Region (Saskatchewan)

Paisley Branch Library Bruce County Public Library (Ont.)

Tisdale Community Library (Saskatchewan)

Tweed Public Library (Ont.)

Brooks Public Library (Alberta)

Lindsay Branch - City of Kawartha Lakes Public Library (Ont.)

Orillia Public Library (Ontario)

Saturday, November 4, 2006 beginning at 9:00 a.m.
Legends Branch of the Oshawa Public Library

The weekend of November 4-5 will mark the Official Opening of the Laura Ellis Memorial Children's Department at the Legends Branch, for which the Friends did major fund raising.

Friends of the Stony Plain Public Library delivered a clever PowerPoint presentation during the Alberta Library Conference in April. Linda Naccarato and Joanne de Groot called it “With a Little Help From our Friends: a story about Friends of the Library”. Their story contained four chapters, and ended with an “epilogue” sharing what they have learned. They provide good advice we can all appreciate:

§ Diversity of skills and personalities within the group is an asset, not a liability!

http://albertalibraryconference.com/2006/wp-content/uploads/2006/05/ALC2006-F10-With_A_Little_Help_Friends.pdf

Joceclyn MacNiel took our “Sharing of Ideas workshop” to the BCLA Conference in April. She convened a panel of speakers, including Lorraine Doiron, Chair, Friends of Smithers Library, Janice Douglas, Director of Youth Services & Programming, Vancouver Public Library and Jane Promnitz, Founding Member & Past President of Friends of the Coquitlam Library. They examined concerns and successes commonly encountered by Friends of the Library groups.

Papers on Library Issues - Friends of Libraries Australia

In one paper, Twelve million public library friends: worth an investment? Dr Alan Bundy FOLA

A library profession which involves the community and establishes an opportunity for citizens to express views and assist in the support of services will create lasting benefits, not only for itself, but also for the public library as an institution. Successful Friends groups in Australia have harnessed community support, participation of the library manager, respect of staff and an involvement of other interested parties.

Visit FOLA’s website to review their repository or papers relating to the
value of libraries, reading. community investment and development and Friends of libraries.

1. Friends are visible and speak up for the Library at public meetings, political forums and public meetings.

2. Friends are informed about the immediate needs of their library and can articulate them to others.

3. Friends make a point of being in contact with the City Councillor in their Ward and speak to them on
behalf of the Library.

4. Friends are connected to the community and take leadership roles in other organizations.

5. Friends are familiar with the Friends “Mission Statement” and can quote it to others.

6. Friends believe that the Library stands for excellence in providing for well-informed citizens.

8. Friends believe that books and other resources have the power to shape lives and can articulate this stand
    to others.

9. Friends have “library stories” to tell others about the major role that the library played and continues to
    play in their lives.

10. Friends believe that they are the best advocates for achieving excellence in library service and are
committed to such achievement.

Do you recognize yourself in this list? Can you add to the list? That’s what Friends do. They share, contribute and attempt to move the Library forward in impacting and improving community services. It’s all about commitment and service. ( Originally appeared in the newsletter of the Friends of the Edmonton Public Library; used with permission of the author.)

Keep your eye on these websites

Fundraiser – 2006 Literacy calendar - http://www.accessola.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/fundraiser.html

New content for this portion of our website contains links to national, provincial and territorial library associations, as well as government agencies responsible for governance and funding of public libraries.

The Advocacy Now! Workshop in Ottawa was well attended by Friends from the Ottawa Public Library, as well as by FOCAL’s Jami van Haaften and Dorothy Macnaughton, as well as a number of librarians and library trustees. The workshop leader were Wendy Newman and Pat Cavill.

We came away with a new understanding on library issues facing our peers across Canada, trends in library usage and library support, the need for advocacy, and new strategies for marketing the value of libraries in our communities.

During an interactive portion of the workshop, we compiled this list of characteristics of a library advocate:

This summer the Port Hope Public Library launched a campaign - Library.Card.Cool - to encourage every child in the municipality to own and use a library card. The Friends of the Library, committed to enhancing children's services, provided start-up funding for the campaign.

We know the Friends in Chesley are busy reading, from the CBC Canada Reads booklist, but they are also busy with a fundraising campaign for a new 3,000 square foot library. Chesley Friends of the Library group have set a goal of raising $40,000 purchase new equipment and furnishings.

In December they received a donation from the profits of Chesley’s 150^th homecoming held during the summer in 2005. Other funds raised came from a community theatre event in April, Ladies Night Out organized by the local Kinsmen in May, and a 50-50 draw and booksale in June. In October there is a Grande Olde Opry night, and a casino night with silent auction in December is also planned.

The Friends of the Belleville Public Library are now running a Book Store/Gift Shop in their new library, which opened in May this year. They stocked their store with book bags, back packs, paintings by a local artist, postcards . . . and used books.

Newsletters from this busy group are on FOCAL’s website (look under Documents, and scroll down to newsletters). … By the way please add us to your newsletter mailing list, or send us a link to your online version. Their clever and witty “Newsletter Lady” always has at least one page devoted to letters from her readers, seeking advice on a number of topics.

In their April newsletter “Newlsetter Lady” poked fun at their librarian Leona Hendry by offering a prize for runners-up in a contest – a digitally mastered CD of Leona singing that great old 50’s Monotones literary hit “Who Wrote the Book of Love”, and noted supplies are very limited! In June they were forced to admit that Leona’s CD is sold out, but that the Friends are working with library staff to produce a full length CD of their own. Read their newsletter to find out more.

Error - Volume & Issue numbers

It has happened before, and it will very likely happen again – the Winter issue of FOCAL Point
had the wrong volume number.
It should have been numbered Vol. 9.