CONTENTS

OLA Friends' Day  Feb 3, 2001

Location: Toronto Convention Centre

Program

9 - 10:15  Strategic planning tips and tools
10:15 - 10:30 - Break
10:30 - Noon   Getting Friendlier
Noon-2 - Millennium Luncheon
2 - 4 - Networking - focus groups

Strategic planning tips and tools

Speaker: Maureen Cubberley, Partner, ASM Advanced Strategic Management Consultants; Chair CIRA - Canadian Internet Registration Authority.

Convenor: Val Marshall, FOCAL Past President

Join our interactive strategic planning team! Share in a high-energy facilitated planning workshop - an hour of new ideas and new approaches. Take your findings back to your own organization and help shape your Friends' future success.

Getting Friendlier (or Amalgamating Friends of the Library Groups)

Speakers: Paul Devlin, Friends of the Ottawa Public Library; Jennifer Blunt, Director of Development, Toronto Public Library; Terry Sarazen, Small Library Consultant with the Southern Ontario Library Service

Convenor: Jami van Haaften, FOCAL President

Does the "A" word strike fear into the hearts of your Friends' groups members, or are they totally disinterested?  Is there volunteer life after amalgamation?  Our panel will describe the Friends groups amalgamation process and outcomes from several perspectives.

Issues raised by the amalgamation process, basic steps to follow and some suggested "best practices" will be covered in this workshop. The new SOLS Small Library Kit, "Amalgamating Friends of the Library Groups", will be introduced at the session.

The registration fee of $30 includes luncheon, and we will be joining OLA conference delegates in their Millennium celebration.

Our day will close with last year's popular feature - the focus groups.

During the week we will be set up in the exhibit hall, promoting FOCAL and displaying the winners of the Random House of Canada's "Friends of the Year" award. This will be an opportunity to showcase the work of Friends groups across Canada.

Puppets

After 30 years of puppeteering in libraries, my puppet pattern for fabric mouth puppets  will be produced and sold by MacPhee Workshop, a successful Canadian sewing company with a large selection of patterns.

The puppet pattern will be available this fall. A portion of all sales of the pattern will go to FOCAL. Patterns will be sold at all major conferences and can also be ordered for Friends' sales locally as fund-raisers.

It is planned that each year a new library puppet character will be created and sold as a do-it-yourself kit. The results could be used in libraries or sold as well. Rather than make any money on this arrangement I am pleased to dedicate a portion of all sales to FOCAL. Watch for the launch!!

Don Mills
CEO, Mississauga Public Library

2nd Annual Regional Friends of the Library Day

On Saturday, September 9th members of Friends of the Library groups in Digby, Shelburne and Yarmouth counties gathered at Western Counties Regional Library Headquarters in Yarmouth for the second annual Friends of the Library Day.
Board Chair Gary Archibald extended a warm welcome to all Friends and  expressed thanks for the assistance from Friends groups throughout the year, especially with the Adopt-A-Book campaign (April 7 - June 30th).  Friends played a significant role in the 1256 books adopted this year.
 
 

Western Counties Regional Library, established in 1969, operates ten branch libraries in Digby, Shelburne and Yarmouth counties.  Check out the web site at www.wcr.library.ns.ca.

by Paulette Sweeney-Goodwin
Yarmouth, Nova Scotia
See photo page 9

From the editor,

A strategic planning process for public libraries is underway in Ontario, and Jami van Haaften represents FOCAL as a review team member. Issue Teams will study the following: Human Resources, Connecting Libraries,  Funding/ Financing, Library Service Delivery, Library Roles and Relationships. Members of the Review Group will review and comment on the material produced by the Issue Teams.

As a professional librarian and observer and advocate of the previous strategic planning process initiated in the 1980's, called "One Place to Look", it will be interesting to be even more involved in the sequel. The process runs from October 2000 to June 2001.

Two recent library journals have included news about FOCAL since our last newsletter. Val Marshall, Past President, submitted an article to Feliciter, which appeared in Vol  46 Issue # 4, 2000 on page 216. She reported on our Friends' Day at CLA annual conference, noting our program appealed to library administrators as well as to Friends, trustees and staff.

Our Edmonton hosts, headed by Nicholas Spillios and Gail De Vos were acknowledged, as were next year's hosts, Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library. Finally she extended thanks to CLA, for their support and involvement since our first Friends Day in Ottawa in 1996, and to our major sponsor Random House of Canada.

The current issue of Access, the official publication of the Ontario Library Association, contains an announcement of the winners of  The Random House of Canada Friend of the year Award.

We welcome Michael Colborne to our Directors' panel. He joins us as a representative of the Canadian Library Association, replacing Michael Burris.

The friendsoflibraries.ca domain name as been re-registered with a domain name registrar. This does not seem to be worth mentioning unless you have registered a domain name and worked through the muddle of online forms, payment options, electronic notices and so on. A table has been added to our website, summarizing the information I collected outlining registrars' fees.(http://www.friendsoflibraries.ca/domain.html).

Book Lover's Calendars

Your Library Depot and WhiteHots have teamed up to help Friends groups market the Book Lover's Calendar. Calendars sold in quantities of 12 or more are priced at $5.50 each. The resale price marked on the calendar is $13.95.  It is a popular fund-raiser for fall and Christmas promotions, for those Friends interested in selling merchandise.

Elaine Watkinson of Your Library Depot and Russ Culver of WhiteHots are providing this service to FOCAL. Because of WhiteHot's involvement, this year's price is lower than last year's.  Watkinson's profits from the calendars sold through Your Library Depot will be given back to FOCAL.

Your Library Depot ships prepaid orders with a receipt and no shipping charges. With an invoiced order, shipping will be added. Libraries can e mail their orders to Elaine@ils.net and send their cheques to Library Consulting Service, P.O.  Box 958, Sutton, Ontario L0E 1R0 and WhiteHots will pack and ship them for us.

The William C. Watkinson Award is given annually to a person or group who have contributed to a specific library system or to libraries in general in Canada, while not being paid by a library.  The award was created in conjunction with CLA, in memory of Elaine's father,  a pioneer in the  manufacture and supply of library furniture and supply items in Canada.

At CLA in June the 2000 award was presented to the Rothesay-King Rotary Club for their contributions to the Kennebacasis Public Library in Quispamsis, N.B. The Rotary Club was honoured for its financial and club member support of a literacy program and partnership with the library.

Elaine also noted, with sadness, the recent death of  Keith Sacre, last year's winner of this award. "He won for his many good works for the Vancouver Public Library, as well as libraries in general in B.C," noted Elaine. "Keith was one of the first people responsible for setting up the Friends of the Vancouver Public Library. He was well known, liked and respected by his peers and his customers and had just retired from a life of selling to libraries."

CLA 2001 at a glance

Rochelle Blumenthal, our convenor of the CLA 2000 Friends' Day program, has been in touch to provide some details of the progress to date. We will be greeted and welcomed during opening remarks by Abe Anhang, before choosing two of three possible sessions relating to Advocacy (speaker Jan Dalmyn), Membership Development (speaker Sandra Stewart) and Fundraising (speaker Elspeth Haid).

Our keynote speaker following our luncheon will be Helen Hayles, Director of the Volunteer Bureau of Winnipeg.

Advice column:
Please reply to either the editor or the FOCAL listserv and share your advice!

Executive Recruitment:

Our organization faces the continuing challenge of finding people to serve on the executive or chair committees. This year, the problem looked
insurmountable and a letter to the editor with a worst case scenario elicited some response. There are more than 250 volunteers, many of whom work hard at the Net Shed. But many are very busy and happy with the status quo. May we hear from other groups to determine if there are other ways to
recruit volunteers to sit at the helm of this successful group?

Please e-mail Marie McKay: m.mckay@bmts.com .
Telephone 519-538-1295.
Leo Girard: lgirard@bmts.com .
Telephone: 519-538-3035.

Capital Fundraising:

In Smiths Falls, we wish to restore our almost century old Carnegie Library to its original state and upgrade to current mechanical, electrical, safety, and fire containment standards. The Friends will be expected to raise $20,000 -30,000 in this community of 9000 people and surrounding area of another 12-13,000 people.

The Library Board will be doing the corporate contact, and will once again conduct a direct mail campaign. Our Friends group has had booksales, craft sales, movies, barbecues (small return on each), Service station -1 cent per litre for a month, Trivia Challenge, ticket sales for a book raffle on a monthly basis, annual auction . . . Any suggestions based on experiences and successes as to projects or approaches would be appreciated.

Tom Foulkes
E-mail: pfoulkes@altavista.net

Personality conflicts:

Our problem concerns a volunteer we would like to ease out of the organization, due to a personality problem that is causing other volunteers to drop out. We would appreciate any guidance you may give us. (Anonymous)

Recommended reading:

Last night I read "Becoming A Fundraiser: The Principles and Practice of Library Development", 2nd ed., by Victoria Steele and Stephen D. Elder (ALA, 2000). Chapter 6 deals with the many options for Friends groups to support library development. Many of you will enjoy reading it and get some new ideas from it. I know I will be passing it on to the president of our Friends group.

Judith K. Meyers, Director
Wilmington Public Library
Wilmington, Ohio 45177
(Source: FOLUSA listserv)

Friends' News Forum

Friends of the Dundas Public Library passed from a "steering committee" led organization, to a formal elected  body on Oct. 25, 2000. This is a journey from Feb. 1999 to Oct. 25, 2000! The Dundas Friends are committed and dedicated to its goals. (Source: Jim Nicol)

Friends of the Lindsay Public Library participated in River Festival on July 28th and 29th, 2000. We held a book sale both inside the library and on the grounds outside of the library. As well, we had for sale-Tote Bags, Pens, Bookmarks and Hasti- notes. We are working on incorporation and obtaining registered charities status. (Source: Lois Magahay)

The Friends of the London Public Library held their annual fall book sale Oct. 13-14-15 at the Western Fairgrounds. Sunday only, buyers could buy a grocery bag of books for two bucks. (Source: Denise Horoky)

Friends of the Meaford Public Library are encouraging people in the community to take advantage of the Memory Books program. This is a means to be sure we have more books in our Library, as well as a way to honour or remember our friends or family. A Memory Book for the Library can be a moving way to remember and honour a loved one or friend who has died; it can honour someone who has just graduated, won a sports award, had an anniversary, birthday, business promotion, etc.  What a wonderful idea for a Christmas tribute.

Ajax Friends of the Library: Mary Peterson and Cindy Kimber have produced a "Children's Millennium Quilt" - This will give the children an opportunity to participate in the fundraising for our new Main Library. The project is a four panel quilt, representing the birds of the Ajax Waterfront bordered by their footprints - with the children's names in them. For $10 a child's name can be added to the quilt - potential to make $2500. A book quilt that Mary also designed and completed raised $6500. It will be on display at the McLaughlin Art Gallery in Oshawa as part of a Quilt Display!

One other project is our "Friends Fundraising Fashion Show in September. There will be a Fashion Presentation - tips on wardrobe planning and the attendees get to try on the clothes and order them. Friends get 15% of the amount ordered.  A 50-50 draw, raffle of an outfit, door prizes and refreshment will also raise funds. (Source: Val Marshall)

A Book Mine opened within the Sudbury Public Library in September. The Friends of the Sudbury Public Library will maintain the Book Mine, a permanent used bookstore open the hours the library is open. Book purchases are paid for at the circulation desk. A display case in the Book Mine will allow Friends to conduct silent auctions, post notices and promote their organization. (Source: Jami van Haaften)

In the fall Among Friends newsletter of the Friends of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library it was noted the Friends are having a draw of a framed print "By the Rapids" by local artist Ken MacDougall. They operate Bestseller's Café, a permanent bookstore, and have "Next to New" booksales in November.

Over $1,100 was raised in a Mother's Day raffle sponsored by the Friends of the Brampton Public Library. A variety of cuisines from the restaurant prize list were shared by 19 winners. Proceeds were used for much needed resource materials. The first annual Book Ends Bonspiel in the spring was a "sweeping success", they report, raising $4,000 for new books.

The Friends of the Thunder Bay Public Library are having their 3rd annual "Computer Friendly" raffle. Tickets cost $5.00 each, and the winner wins a Pentium III 550 computer system AND designates a second system to the charity of their choice.

CEO Wendy Brown of the Cobourg Public Library thanked Friends for all the "hidden" work they do, during the Friends General Meeting in June. The Friends donated funds for a bulletin board, a prize for the Summer Reading Club and for a selected item of furniture during their meeting. Lee Beech, Chair, called on all members to get more involved.

Friends of the Atikokan Public Library have a regular schedule of raffles and fund raising events. Baskets are raffled (there are Valentine's, Easter, Garden, Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets), their Mammoth Book Sale happens in May, a bingo occurs in August, and a Christmas Tea ends their year. Their June newsletter reported proceeds of $703 from the Christmas basket and $968 from the Easter basket.

A colourful little booklet was in circulation at CLA, titled A Story to Tell, by the Oakville Public Library.  The centrefold opens to a description of their community support. Volunteer hours totaled 10,000 in 1998. The Friends of the Library donated $15,000 to the library in 1998, and the endowment Fund had $40,000 in contributions in 1998.

The Friends of the Hamilton Public Library announced their Millennium Friendship Award nominees and winner in their summer newsletter Friendly Notes. The winner was Dianne Young, a  seven-year member of the "Libraries! Let's Celebrate" Committee and organizer of hundreds of author visits for children, a literacy initiative supported by her employer, the National Book Service. She also served as judge for the "Power of the Pen" contest, worked during special book sales, and significant contributor to a silent auction night.

The Toronto Public Library Foundation hosted a special luncheon gala October 22nd., with guest speaker J.K. Rowling. Tickets were priced at $500. Rowling, author of the popular Harry Potter series, also appeared at the Sky Dome for readings from her latest book.

The Autumn newsletter of Friends of Libraries Australia highlighted their "Best of Friends" awards and promoted the 3rd annual Friends of Libraries Australia Conference in Canberra in October. It was reported that Friends in the state of Victoria should seek permission for book sales from the Office of Fair Trading and Business Affairs for any book sales for which the public is admitted. The permission should be applied for in June and lasts for one year. Their newsletter also reported news from FOCAL, FOLUSA  and Friends of the British Library.

The Friends of the British Library Summer 2000 newsletter reported on the redesign on the Friends marketing program, and the implementation of a new computerized system. They reported a number of problems as the old system failed before the new one was fully installed, and begged the understanding of old and new members. The newsletter also reported on the review of their national "Adopt a Book" program, a conservation initiative to preserve the country's heritage.

The newsletter of the Friends of the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection is called The Magic Door. Of note is their "Footprints of the Hound" celebration Oct. 19-21, 2001. A joint project of the ACD Friends, The Bootmakers of Toronto, the Toronto Reference Library and the ACD Society, the weekend features a major exhibition of treasures from the Collection plus scholarly and entertaining presentations and events.

The Friends of Toronto Public Library and the Friends of North York Public Library have negotiated an agreement to amalgamate their two organizations.  This follows the amalgamation of the 7 library systems in Metropolitan Toronto in 1998 into a single library with 96 branches. The membership will be voting to ratify this agreement in November.  The amalgamation would take effect in January 2001.

The new Friends group will be called Friends of Toronto Public Library and it will operate with chapters: the former North York will be the North Chapter and the former City of Toronto will be the South Chapter.  (Source:
Nancy Krygsman, Past President, Friends of Toronto Public Library)

Friends of the Library/Mississauga are sponsoring a winter reading incentive program. Called "Books are Magic" the program is designed to stimulate reading for pleasure.Children complete a Wizard's Reading Booklet, logging at least 10 books read, and answering 20 Harry Potter trivia questions.  Each Library branch will give away one complete set and four individual Harry Potter books next March, drawn from all correct booklet entries.

Copies of the reading booklet are available from Todd Kyle, Youth Specialist, Telephone  (905) 615-3580 or e-mail at todd.kyle@city.mississauga.on.ca Watch for more details of the program at www.city.mississauga.on.ca/.

The Friends of the Ottawa Public Library held their 4 day annual book sale in October. People lined up from 9 AM to buy old editions, autographed books and other 'specials'. The net profit from the sale was $3,725. Credit goes to the volunteer team, led by Mary Anne Dancey, the book store coordinator." (Source Marie Zielinski)

New and renewing members
Friends of the Lockeport Public Library
Friends of the Pubnico Group
Friends of the Shelburne Public Library
Friends of the Westport Public Library
Friends of the Weymouth Public Library
Friends of the Yarmouth Public Library
Friends of the Ajax Public Library
Friends of the Lindsay Public Library
Friends of the Clarks Harbour Public Library
Friends of the Trail Public Library
Friends of the Westmount Public Library
New Westminster Public Library Board

www.elibrary.ca
Our home page has a new link, representing an Internet affiliation relationship between Friends of Canadian Libraries and elibrary Canada, a dynamic research tool  which allows users to easily and  quickly conduct research over the Internet, using an extensive database of reliable sources. FOCAL receives $5.00 when a user comes from our Web site, visits and then enrolls for a free 30-day trial access period. We are  paid for each trial registration, regardless of whether the trial results in a subscription. Plan to visit, and click through to the elibrary Canada service.

FOCAL's 2000 executive

PRESIDENT – Jami Van Haaften
Friends of the Sudbury Public Library
1826 Marie Ave.,  Sudbury, Ont. P3E 2X9.
Telephone:  705-523-3415
E-mail jvanhaaf@cyberbeach.net

VICE-PRESIDENT – Nancy Goodman
Friends of the Ottawa Public Library
E-mail - ngoodman@sols.org

PAST-PRESIDENT – Val Marshall
Ajax Friends of the Library
E-mail: val.marshall@sympatico.ca

SECRETARY – Heather Graham
Friends of the Winnipeg Public Library
E-mail: hfgraham@home.com

TREASURER – Tom Foulkes
Friends of the Smiths Falls Public Library
E-mail: pfoulkes@altavista.net

DIRECTORS

WESTERN CANADA – VOLUNTEER STILL NEEDED.

PRAIRIES  - Nicholas Spillios
Friends of the Edmonton Public Library
E-mail: nikos@telusplanet.net

CENTRAL CANADA - Margaret Main
Friends of the Nepean Public Library
E-mail: mainm@achilles.net

Maureen Johnson
E-mail: mjohnson@pegasuswholesale.com

ATLANTIC CANADA  - Bryon Merrett
Friends of the Yarmouth Public Library
E-mail: bryanm@hotmail.com

Canadian Library Trustees Association
Gary Archibald
Western Counties Regional Library,
E-mail: nstn2360@fox.nstn.ca

Canadian Association of Public Libraries
Sylvia Teasdale
E-mail: sylvia.teasdale@city.nepean.on.ca

Canadian Library Association
Michael Colborne
E-mail: COLBORMB@gov.ns.ca
 
 

DELEGATE BADGE INFORMATION

___ FOCAL member ___ Non-member

Name of Friends Group: ___________________________________________

Location of Library: ___________________________________________
 

DELEGATE INFORMATION

_____________________________________________________________
SURNAME FORENAME

_____________________________________________________________
MAILING ADDRESS

_____________________________________________________________
CITY / TOWN  POSTAL CODE
 

_________________________________________
BUSINESS TELEPHONE  AND/OR FAX

_________________________________________
E-MAIL
 
 

REGISTRATION FEE
To be eligible for these fees, you must be a member of a Friends group and not work
for a library in Ontario or earn your living from offering goods and services to libraries.
Circle day(s) where appropriate
 All three days    $  70
 Any two days      $  50          Thursday     Friday     Saturday
 Saturday only        $  30

Registration Fee (choose ONE from above)  $  ________

TICKETED EVENTS

Saturday 100th Anniversary Luncheon Gala Celebration
One luncheon ticket is included in Saturday's registration

SUB-TOTAL Registration + Events: _________________

OLA Registration No. #10779 8159 RT    ADD 7% GST
Correct GST must be included.  Exempt institutions,  please attach certificate.
 

TOTAL ENCLOSED or CHARGED: _______________

Method of Payment

____Cheque made payable to OA:  ____ Enclosed      _____ Mailed

_____MasterCard     _____VISA     Expiry date: ________________
 

TO REGISTER
 WEB PAGE http://www.accessOLA.com / Secure, encrypted
 FAX 1-800-387-1181 toll free /  416-941-9581 local calls
 TELEPHONE 1-866-873-9867 toll free OLA members only;  416-363-3624 long distance charges apply
 MAIL: Ontario Library Association, 100 Lombard St., Suite 303, Toronto, ON   M5C 1M3

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