STATESBORO-BULLOCH
www.statesborofriends.org
Winter, 2010
The President’s
Corner
Ceil Hardin
Friends,
Happy New Year! I hope this year brings you and yours many blessings.
One of the first items of business your Friends board must conduct is to appoint a nominating committee to select new board members to be installed during our April annual meeting. Please think about the possibility of serving your organization in this way. Terms of office are 2 years and duties for each office are found on our webpage (www.statesborofriends.org) in our constitution. Board members should be able to commit to quarterly meetings that are scheduled by the new president. If you would like the opportunity to visit a board meeting before making a commitment, feel free to come to our next meeting at 4:30pm on February 8th in the community room at the library.
As always, feel free to share your ideas with me for making our organization better.
Ceil
The Opening Doors: Library
News
Lois Roberts, Public Services
912-764-1336 loisr@strl.info
I want to call my part in our
newsletter “Opening Doors” because the Friends were instrumental in securing
the automatic doors for our wonderful library
After three months in public services, I realize the enormous need for the public library all over again. Computer use increased dramatically when we opened the upstairs computer lab to the public. Though not available in the evenings, Saturdays or when the GED class is in session, it is a needed add-on. It is vital to people who are unable to afford their own computers.
I have seen more job applications, banking transactions, commercial uses, student applications, testing, employment benefit access and online study than I ever imagined. People frequently ask for a little more time to complete an online job application or request online assistance. While many are playing Farmville, online poker, watching YouTube, or enjoying re-runs of a favorite television show, computer access is now a basic library service.
In other news, we moved the
The public library is
Please join me again in welcoming our new Regional Library Director, Sharon Rowe. Some of you met her at the Friends’ reception in December. She will be attending the Friends’ Board meeting in February. I was thrilled to step down as director and become a part of the Statesboro staff. I had intended to retire (again) but Cora Fay’s position would have been “frozen” when she left. State Library leaders agreed to allow me to move into that position. Library public service -- answering questions, helping with the book collection, teaching, programming, assisting wherever needed -- is my “cup of tea.” I look forward to retirement but not until the economy stabilizes and the position can be carefully filled.
Meanwhile, it is my pleasure to be here working with Statesboro staff and our wonderful group of Friends!
Lois Roberts
THANKS AGAIN TO
MICHAEL BRAZ
Our traditional Holiday Reception held on December 8th was a
special time to share refreshments and fellowship with our members, professional
library staff, and library patrons. Sue and John Meikle prepared, coordinated,
decorated and served the refreshments that so many of our members provided.
Michael Braz shared his musical talents on the piano with us. This talented
musician has provided this service every year for as long as most of us
remember. We are most appreciative.
Meet Sharon Rowe, our new library director. She was born in Clinton, SC, and is married to Steven Rowe, a newly retired mental health counselor. Her hobbies include camping, genealogy, and eco/historical travel. She attends the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Statesboro. Sharon received her undergraduate degree in political science from Valdosta State and her master’s degree in library science from Florida State. Before accepting the position here, she was the Library Director in Bennettsville, SC. Sharon oversees library activities and services at the Statesboro Regional libraries, including those libraries in Bryan, Candler, Emanuel, and Evans Counties. She has recently transferred her Kiwanis Club membership to the Statesboro Club.
Sharon’s main goal for all of the libraries in our region is to keep the libraries relevant and adaptable to changes in our society. She states that the library is not a book warehouse but rather a meeting place for people and ideas to come together. Sharon’s plans include evaluating how services are provided to ensure that the needs of all citizens are met.
Our new library director looks forward to working with our Friends of the Library organization. Sharon recognizes that the operations budget for the library provides for very basic needs while the FOL assists with additional funding for materials and programming. Sharon is open to sharing ideas with members of our community. Her email address is sharonr@strl.info and phone number is 764-1328.
Meet the Author Series.
Laughs, wildflowers and a journey of the heart.
Mark your calendar for three terrific authors coming to the Statesboro Library in the next three months.
Lucy
Adams, author of If Mama Don’t Laugh, It
Ain’t Funny
Tuesday, February 9,
Just reading Lucy Adams’ book title starts you giggling. Now imagine the belly laughs you’ll get when this Atlanta-based author and syndicated Southern Humor columnist joins us to talk about the funny side of life, family, marriage and kids. Says Lucy about her book, “it exposes the everyday minutiae for what it really is – hilarious.” Want an earful of preview? Listen to her read book excerpts at her website: http://www.ifmama.com/index.php. And be sure to listen in to Mornings UnPHILtered on Monday, February 8 to hear Lucy interviewed by Phil Boyum about writing, life, humor and her visit to Statesboro. Catch it at http://borolive.com.
Hugh
and Carol Nourse, authors of Wildflowers
of Georgia and Favorite Wildflower
Walks of Georgia
Just in time for spring wildflower walks, renowned
photographers and authors Hugh and Carol Nourse will be doing a gorgeous
show-and-tell of
Betsy
Nichols, author of When Summer Was in the
Meadow
Nominated for the Georgia Author of the Year Award, this
beautiful memoir draws us into life in the South in
the 20s and early 30s. Betsy Nichols’
evocative story is based on the real-life story of Evelyn Johnson, a child who
lets us see how the world of church picnics and neighbors intersects with
Lindbergh, FDR and the Great Depression.
Amazon.com says the novel “reveals with poignancy and humor life as it
was lived by ordinary people during a critical period in American history…In a
larger sense, however, this is a story about ourselves and the power of
remembrance to shape our lives and the lives of those who follow us.
YOUR $$$$ AT WORK
At the October Board Meeting the FOL reported receiving $3,170 in membership dues as well as $2198.10 from the fall book sale. The Board approved the following expenditures:
*$1,000 to cover expenses from last year’s RIF Program
*$3,000 to supplement library book purchases
*$1,000 to purchase additional materials for check out for the library
*$1,000 to offset costs related to bringing authors to Georgia Literary Festival next fall
*$500 for Tom Sawyer/Norman Rockwell program with the Averitt Center
Upcoming Events
February FOL Board Meeting Monday, 2/8 at 4:30pm at Library
Meet the Author-Lucy Adams Tuesday, 2/9 at 7pm at Library
Meet the Author-Hugh & Carol Nourse Tuesday, 3/9 at 7pm at Library
Meet the Author-Betsy Nichols Tuesday, 4/6 at 7pm at Library