Highlights

Friends Day at OLA
Ontario Assoc. of Library Technicians
Nepean Friends . . .
From the editor

Friends Day is sponsored by the Ontario Library Association, Random House of Canada and McClelland and Stewart. With such generous support, the Canadian Friends Day Program will cost only $25.00 per person including lunch! Plan to attend the whole day of exciting sessions and complete the networking opportunity by joining North York Friends for dinner and great entertainment by Don Mills, CEO of the Mississauga Library System - A Master Puppeteer with a huge following!!!

Please photocopy the information and registration sheets and encourage all the members of your Friends Group to participate in this first ever Friends Day at the OLA.

The OLA is also offering Friends low registration fees on Thursday and Friday, plus the opportunity to visit EXPO '99 - Canada's Best Library Trade Show - 10.a.m to 3.30.p.m. on Thursday and 10.a.m. to 2.30.p.m. on Friday.

The ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF LIBRARY TECHNICIANS will hold their annual conference in Sudbury, 13th-16th May, 1999. FOCAL's Vice President, Jami van Haaften has been asked to conduct a three hour conference session. With the help of fellow Friend of the Sudbury Public Library, Nancy Thurston, they will talk about their experiences with the Sudbury Friends group and demonstrate what Friends have to offer their libraries in terms of advocacy, fundraising and support, both locally and on the national scene.

NEPEAN FRIENDS co-sponsored a workshop on "Writing your Memoirs". They are also busy with their Joy of Reading Program. BRAMPTON FRIENDS hosted an Information and Reception Evening and were rewarded with 25 solid, workable recommendations. Who says that no-one is reading? 18,380 new borrowers joined the library in the past year! They contributed $10,000 to revitalize the audio book collection, participated in Canada Day celebrations, held a "Mothers Day Raffle" and placed jazzy plexiglass donation boxes in the library branches. NORTH YORK FRIENDS hosted a tour and lunch at the Royal Ontario Museum. 6 of their Friends were honoured by the Province of Ontario at a special ceremony in June. Their Annual Pizza Party/Membership Drive featured Guest Speakers from the Friends of the Osborne Collection. Their "Friends Famous Lunch" Annual Meeting will be held 24th November. COBOURG FRIENDS are again enjoying their "tall tales" an evening exhibition of library photos and memorabilia - Board members greeted patrons and discussed library plans and issues while the Friends were on hand to serve refreshments. Their Fall booksale raised a record $1198.00 with another sale planned for February. Their Friends Reading Club meets at the library the second Thursday of the month. MOOSE JAW FRIENDS new project is to enhance the adult audio-visual collection by $20,000. Already $500 has been donated from the Wakamow Rotary Club - Great to have such partnerships! Their second annual jugsaw puzzle sale will be held at the end of November, together with a booksale. AJAX FRIENDS kicked off their $1 Million Fundraising campaign for a new Main Central Library in October. Their "Anchors Aweigh" program - whereby prominent members of the community lost weight for money, and the fabulous book quilt that Friend Mary Peterson is producing is already helping to boost the fund.

From the Editor

With a great deal of help from our Friends, we're able to offer an exciting full day program of workshops at the OLA Convention. Many thanks to our presenters, who readily agreed to share their time and great talents for the benefit of the Friends of the Libraries. The sessions are varied and cover many aspects of Friends activities. The final session - "Do As We Do - Fundraising and Fun" will be a great exchange of ideas and information. Please come and share your group's successes.

Many thanks to Larry Moore and the OLA for their enthusiastic support and to Random House, McClelland and Stewart, The Library Depot, Spresso Café, and Packaging Alternatives for their great sponsorship. Gifts for our workshop presenters have been thoughtfully provided by Random House and McClelland and Stewart.

I was delighted to be a speaker at the September meeting of the Toronto and Hamilton Chapter of CAPL and also to travel to the Fort Erie Library in October to spread the word about library friends.

Quill & Quire devoted a whole page to Friends of Canadian libraries in their September 1998 issue. Lisa Peryman penned an in-depth article on our new organization with great emphasis on the role that Friends are playing as partners with administration and trustees in enhancing library services across Canada.

Our Treasurer, Tom Foulkes advises that application has been made for Charitable Status as well as incorporation of our organization

Congratulations to Jami for a terrific design for our web page...get on the net and take a look!

Our next issue will focus on the Friends Day at CLA on 19th June, 1999, with our Annual Meeting Watch for another great day of unique presentations, plus networking and fun.. We'll also share the Library Advocacy Message from the Edmonton Friends.

Please let us have your suggestions and ideas. Remember, we're all volunteers working together for the future of Canadian Libraries.

Looking forward to meeting old friends and making new ones at the Convention!

- Val Marshall, President