Friends' News Forum

Friends of the Vancouver Public Library will be busy this spring with the Beach Blanket Paperback Book Sale, helping the library at the cabaret to launch Pure Fiction, Penguin Books new series, assisting two branches with their 25th birthday parties, and participating in a fund raising bridge tournament. The AGM will be held during the week designated to celebrate The International Year of the Volunteer. A Volunteer Recognition reception will be held before the AGM. Bookmark, The Library Store has wonderful new stock for Easter and spring including new cards, children's gifts and an array of items related to writing and reading. (Source: Jocelyn MacNiel)

Check out the activities of Friends groups in Southwestern Nova Scotia by logging on to http://www.wcr.library.ns.ca and select "Support Your Library".

The Clark's Harbour Friends of the Library are planning the second annual Mother's Day tea at the library in May. Plans are also in the works for a Chinese Auction, and participation in the Clark's Harbour parade on Canada Day.

The Shelburne Friends of the Library recently purchased approximately $400 in reference materials for the McKay Memorial Library in Shelburne. They also purchased a shelving unit for teens valued at $800.00.

The Yarmouth Friends of the Library sponsor the 3rd annual Great Speckled Easter Egg Hunt on Sat. Apr. 14th. Thousands of eggs will be hidden throughout the library for the half hour event. Admission is $2.00 at the door. Participants will bring their own baskets.

The Pubnico Friends of the Library are getting ready to stage a new play called Dreadful Doings at the Cider Mill. Their first production The Scheme of The Driftless Shifter and a skit called Alice & the Bookworms was produced in 1999 and played to a full house at Argyle school for two nights. The first performance of Dreadful Doings ... is scheduled to take place in April.

A two-day sale in early February of laser discs, gained the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library $30,000 to spend on materials for the newly amalgamated OPL

The Friends of the Oshawa Public Library took in over $11,500 during their giant book sale, Oct. 26-27-28. Friends who took the time to call their City Councilor seeking support of the library budget in 2000 were given the credit, as the grant to the library system was increased by $457,400. Their Janet Cotes Award, presented to a deserving "unsung hero" went to Chief Librarian Jana Schuelke this year, chosen for her significant contribution in developing and supporting Friends.

Friends of the Trail Public Library introduced a new genealogy service. A $14,000 Columbia Basin Trust Fund grant resulted in the purchase of a microfilm reader/printer. A genealogy centre was established with Internet access, genealogy CD-ROMs, microfilms, books and newspaper archives. Two introductory workshops were fully registered, and brought in revenues of $500 for the library.

2000 was the tenth anniversary year for the Friends of the Moose Jaw Public Library. The Friends also realized, during 2000, a goal set in 1998 of raising $20,000 to enhance the library's collection of adult audio-visual materials.

Do you have a copy of the Friendship Anthology by the Awesome Authors of 2000? A joint project of the Friends of the Nepean Public Library and the 2000 Millenium Fund, the Awesome Authors Anthology published the work of 14 winners.

Elaine Watkinson is now living in Sutton, Ontario and can be contacted using her email address elaine@ils.net or by writing to her at E. Watkinson, P.O. Box 958, Sutton, Ontario L0E 1R0. She is involved in a gift shop project with Mississauga Library systems.

A December news item reported the Friends of the Ajax Public Library are near their $1-million target in capital fundraising for the new central library. The fund hit the $700,000 mark, and it is hoped construction will begin early next summer.

When we refer to the Friends of Georgian Highlands Public Library, those closer to home will know it includes the former Friends of the Meaford Library. Yes, amalgamation is the reason for the name change, effective Jan. 2001.

In recognition of Poetry Month Friends of the Lindsay Public Library will held an "Evening with Lea Harper", a local poet, in April. Montly Book Sales continue. The Book Club topics for March and April are "Biography of a Canadian Author" and "Review of Banned Books" The Home Book Service provided by Friends volunteers deliver reading material provided as well as a friendly visit. The dust has not yet settled from the creation of the new City of Kawartha Lakes. To date a Library Board has not been confirmed. Hopefully Council will soon remedy this situation and we will be able to return to a more normal working relationship. (Source: Lois Magahay, Chair)

The Fall Book Sale of the Friends of the London Public Library involved 170 volunteers. Profits were $42,000 for the three-day event. The sale included over 100,000 titles, in categories of non-fiction, hard cover fiction, soft cover/paperback, children's, audio-visual and magazines. A special display of "Golden Oldies" was added - books published between 1850 and 1945.

A new listserv has been created for personal and associate members of the Canadian Library Association. Members subscribe to the new CLA listserv, simply send an email message to cla-request@lists.cla.ca with subscribe in the subject line of your message