Mission Statement

The mission of the Friends of the Atascadero Library is to support, promote and expand the library's resources and programs. 


Newsletter September - October 2014
 
In This Issue...
President's Message
Robert E. Alberti, Ph.D.
 
Vice President's Message and 
"Dancing With Our Stars" Update
Jeannie Malik
 
Art Exhibits Update 
 
Meet Your Board Members! 
 
Librarian's Message
Joe Laurenzi
 
Children's and Adult's Program Calendar
TEEN AREA A BIG HIT!
Librarian Joe Laurenzi passed along this photo of a recent "Standing Room Only" situation in the library's teen area.  Past president Grenda Ernst said, "It's a dream come true!"  Added Jeanne Robbins, "How exciting! Just what we had imagined and hoped for when it was being planned and designed!"  Board member Leigh Livick weighed in, "I LOVE IT!"    Way cool.
Photo submitted by Library staff
Board President
Robert Alberti
President's Message 
Robert E. Alberti, Ph.D.

Before the ink was dry on our July-August newsletter, Friends of the Atascadero Library received a very generous donation toward the development of a "concerts and lectures" series in our library. I had hoped to be able to announce some of the activities planned as a result of that grant, but we're still working out the kinks of program planning and arrangements with the county for access to the library building after hours. 


Meanwhile, you can help. Give us your ideas for programs that will appeal to the widest cross-section of our community. Your Friends of the Atascadero Library would love to hear your creative suggestions for special events. Tell a Friends board member, or email me at rea@bibliotherapy.com, or leave me a note (c/o FOAL) at the library.
VP Jeannie Malik
Vice President and "Dancing With Our Stars" Chair
Jeannie Malik
 

It's indeed an honor to announce the 2015 Community Star Dancers for "Atascadero's Dancing with Our Stars"  annual fundraising event.  The impressive lineup includes physical therapist Maria Allen, Kiwanis President Albert Almodova, artist Julie Dunn, Atascadero Librarian Joe Laurenzi, retired banker & community advocate Vicky Morse, Atascadero Mutual Water Company President/Citizen of the Year John Neil, veterinarian and co-owner of K-Man Cycle & Run Robyn Schmidt and winemaker/educator George Shoemaker.  Professional instructors/choreographers  assisting with this year's event are Dan and Sharon Davis, Jodi Mello, Rod Ware, Chris Harmon, Cammie Velci, Eddie Rodriguez, Christina Troxel and Leigh Ormonde.  We are very fortunate to have professional Director Frank Sanchez on board this year. Frank is raising the level of the bar for this event and creating a show that will surely dazzle the audience. His sixty years of dance experience and attention to detail is nothing short of amazing! 


 Read more, click here

2015 Community Star Dancers 

Front Row- Robyn Schmidt, Maria Allen, Julie Dunn and Vicky Morse

Back Row- Albert Almodova, Joe Laurenzi, Director Frank Sanchez, John Neil and George Shoemaker

Artist John Barnard and local musician Terry Sanville
at last month's exhibit opening
Photo by Anne Harris

                                                      Library Art Exhibits

 

Beginning October 1, the Atascadero Library will display artists' interpretations of the theme of climate change.  


 On Thursday, October 9, from 5:30-7 p.m., the public is invited to a reception at the library to meet the artists whose work was selected for this exhibit. The exhibit will continue throughout October and November. 

 
In connection with this exhibit, the library will also offer programs about climate change and a presentation by local meteorologist John Lindsey on November 14 at 11:30 a.m.
 
The featured artist for December and January is Julie Dunn.
 

Submitted by Eileen O'Grady
Meet Your Friends of the Atascadero Library Board
We will regularly profile Board Officers and Directors so that readers may be better acquainted with those who have a hand in making important decisions regarding the Library's programs. All Board members are volunteer and tireless advocates for ensuring the community has access to a high quality library experience.

Audrey Hooper

Corresponding Secretary


Minneapolis' Longfellow Library was the place where books came alive for me.  The children's story hours gave my imagination wings and books became my magic carpet, one I travel on regularly even today. 


 When I was about seven or eight years old, I discovered--tucked away in her basement--several closed metal cabinets laden with books belonging to my grandmother.  From then on, if my sister and I behaved ourselves, "GrandMary" would let us play library with her books!  We spent hours checking them in and out, organizing them, flipping through the pages, reading even some we could not possibly understand, and always handling them carefully like the treasures they were. 


 Read more, click here
Board member and Bookstore volunteer extraordinaire
Audrey Hooper
     

 

President's Note:

 

In this issue of the Newsletter, you'll find a ballot form, seeking your approval of revisions to our FOAL ByLaws, as recommended by the Board of Directors. I know that ByLaws amendments are a pretty boring subject, and seem to be a perennial exercise for volunteer groups. They do, however, provide guidelines for keeping our operations on track, and need updating from time to time to accommodate changing circumstances. I hope you'll take a few minutes to read the proposed new document (available September 15-October 8 at the FOAL website www.friendsoftheatascaderolibrary.org or at Alice's Bookstore), and cast your vote.  

--Bob

Library Activities bring education, fun and enjoyment 
to the entire community

Programs for Adults, Children and Teens
Library patron, one-year-old Zennen, chooses his prize at the end of the 
Summer Reading Program
Photo submitted by Library staff
Librarian's Message
Joe Laurenzi, MLS
Regional Librarian, North County

 

Joe Laurenzi addresses the public at the Library's opening.
Photo by Deborah Cash


 

It's National Library Card Month and what an exciting time to be working in the library. Just three months since the opening of the new building, we directly see the fruits of your labor.

 

*  Library circulation for the month of July was 39,311 up a monstrous 27% from last year. Congratulations to staff and Friends.

This new statistic ranks us as the 5th highest circulating branch in BlackGold behind SLO, AG, Santa Barbara and Goleta.

*  We had 306 new patron registrations in July and 259 new registrations in June. 565 before for the first two months of summer.

*  Summer Reading Program saw 1135 attendees of children's programs, 43  for teen programs, and 1208 total sign-ups and 642 finishers.

*  New hours have proven successful as Mondays have from the beginning, been busy, along with the rest of the week keeping us all a bit hotfooted.

Read more, click here
Treasurer's Report 
Submitted by Gere Sibbach

Through July, 2014

Starting Balance      17,536.90
 
Expenses                   1,408.45
 
Income                       5,481.53

Current Balance      21,609.98                         

 

Donations

John and Diane Lehman

Ellen Safranek

Jennifer St John to honor 

Michelle Bagby

The family of Vernetta Semon 

to honor Kerry Semonsen

Ann Nagare in memory of 

George Fugate

Kami LaPrade in memory of 

Irene Bloomfield

Joan Bloomfield in memory of 

Irene Bloomfield

New Members

Gunther and Sally Tippman

Brenda and Ralph Nicovich

Gion and Phil Cisneros

Sue Gibler

Randy and Lizzy Means

Theresa Kaiser

Ellen Castellanos

Julie Reil

 

FRIENDS OF THE ATASCADERO LIBRARY 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Officers

President--Robert Alberti

Past President--Grenda Ernst

Vice President--Jeannie Malik

Recording Secretary--Susie Blackwell

Treasurer--Gere Sibbach

Corresponding Secretary--Audrey Hooper

Directors

Georgie Arnold, Claudia Collier, Anne Harris, Liz Helgerson, Christina Lefevre Latner, Leigh Livick, Jim Patterson, Marguerite Pulley, Alice Rew, Linda Zirk

Webmaster--Tom Thompson  heytwt@hotmail.com

Newsletter/Social Media Coordinator--Deborah Cash  debcash@macservices.net

Factoid from your newsletter editor

Some of you may have seen the article in the August 13 edition of the Wall Street Journal,
"The Local Public Library Tops Amazon (for now)."  Under "Personal Technology," columnist Geoffrey A. Fowler writes about "When it comes to e-books, your local library is winning."  His column begins, "A growing stack of companies would like you to pay a monthly fee to read e-books, just like you subscribe to Netflix to binge on movies and TV shows.  Don't bother.  Go sign up for a public library card instead." Fowler attributes libraries' continued popularity to the fact they "serve nobler purposes than just amassing vampire romances.  They provide equal access to knowledge, from employment services to computer training.  And in an age where getting things "free" usually means surrendering some privacy, libraries have long been careful about protecting patron records."  To read the article, go to wallstreetjournal.com or contact debcash@macservices.net and I'll send you a scanned copy.








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