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 2015
In This Issue...

President's Message
Linda Zirk 
 
Update from Vice President and
Dancing With Our Stars Chair
Jeannie Malik
 
Meet Your Board Member
Shirley Summers

Library Art Programs
Eileen O'Grady

Special Presentation
"The Toy and Doll Industry in Atascadero"
Lon Allan, Historian

Librarian's Message
Joe Laurenzi
   It's National Library Card Sign Up Month!  Do you have your card?  Atascadero Mayor Tom O'Malley (left) does, as do Atascadero Fire Chief Kurt Stone (second from right) and Council Member Roberta Fonzi (far right).  Bookstore Director Alice Rew (seated), herself a long time cardholder, certifies their membership.
Photo submitted by Library Staff
President's Message
Linda Zirk
 
I Love Libraries!
 
My mainstay when moving to a new town or city has always been the local library...and as a family we have moved several times.  The theme running through my Newsletter articles this year will talk about Libraries I have visited and loved.
 
Let's start with my hometown of Kingston in Surrey, England.  I was the proud recipient of my very own library card in 1953 - a time of great rejoicing in England as we looked forward to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.  Towns and cities all over the country were implementing ways of acknowledging and celebrating this festive event.  Kingston has always been family and education oriented - which includes the library. I was six years old and although in those far off days one had to be at least seven years old to get their own library card, my Dad took me and my sister Sue to the Library to join up. Kingston Library, pictured above, was opening the doors to all! We were only allowed to check out two books each per week.  Although Sue was two years older and had her own selection of books, I somehow managed to read four books each week. Glorious times of reading A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh stories, and all the Enid Blyton books - Secret Seven and Famous Five adventures - and together with the other kids that lived in our apartment block we made up our own adventures based on these intrepid book characters.
 
Do YOU have a favorite library story?  We'd love to share it with our readers!

Simply put together a short blurb about your memories of libraries from your past, your travels or even those you still love and visit today, including our own beloved Atascadero Library, and we'll publish in a future newsletter.

Submit to debcash@macservices.net.  Please limit to 200 words and one photo submitted digitally in high resolution as a jpeg.  Also include your name and phone number.
Vice President and "Atascadero's Dancing With Our Stars" Event Chair's Message
Jeannie Malik
 
It's my pleasure to announce the cast of 2016 community star dancers participating in "Atascadero's Dancing with Our Stars" on March 18th and 19th, 2016.  The impressive lineup includes 5th District County Supervisor Debbie Arnold, Atascadero News Advertising Director and Kiwanis Representative Michael Bartlett, Atascadero Educator Dennis Billings, American West Tire Pros Owner Greg Glasmeier, Kennedy Club Fitness Owner Barb Kennedy, California Meridian Insurance Owner/Agent and Atascadero Rotarian Drew Lewis, Atascadero School Board Member and Rocky Canyon Kennels Owner Mary Kay Mills and Active Community Citizen and Licensing Director Marnie Perry.

Professional choreographers instructing our community stars are veterans Dan and Sharon Davis, Tirza DeGarmo, Ernie Gamble, Chris Harmon, Brian Reeves, Christina Troxel and Jocelyn Willis. We are very fortunate to have professional Director Frank Sanchez on board again this year. Frank raised the level of the bar for the 2015 show and is well on his way to creating another unforgettable show themed, "Musical Movie Magic." His sixty years of dance experience, attention to detail, and dedication to this event is nothing short of amazing!

My second piece of exciting news is the confirmation of Opolo Vineyards as our exclusive wine sponsor. Opolo Owners Rick Quinn and Dave Nichols have generously agreed to provide their fabulous wines for both shows! They have supported this event as our exclusive wine sponsor since 2013. Please visit them at their tasting room at 7110 Vineyard Drive and join their wine club providing award winning wines, great parties, complimentary wine tastings and member discounts. We are so appreciative of thiscommunity partnership supporting Friends of the Atascadero's Library annual fundraiser. 
Atascadero resident, community activist and FOAL supporter Eric Greening has his eye on a favorite piece at the recent reception
showcasing Joe Schwartz's photography
Photo by Deborah Cash
Library Art News
Submitted by 
Eileen O'Grady
 
Atascadero Library 
Art Displays

Joe Schwartz's iconic photos will be on display at the library throughout September.  The exhibit is called "Harmony in Black and White" to honor both his chosen art form-black and white photography-and his efforts to promote racial harmony by capturing the peaceful New York City street scenes he knew.  

Schwartz's work is headed to a new Smithsonian museum now under construction in Washington, D. C., so this is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy his photos in our own community.

Our October and November exhibit will feature a variety of artists on the theme of Permanence.  We invite local artists to submit up to three entries for consideration.  The deadline for submissions is September 10; a prospectus with more information is available on the FOAL web site.  A reception is planned for Thursday, October 8, at 5:30 p.m., and all are invited.

Future exhibits will include the work of George Asdel, the printmakers of Studios on the Park (Helen K. Davie, Rosey Rosenthal, and Bob Simola), and a spring exhibit that will feature both art and poetry on the theme of Renewal.  

Contact emogrady9@gmail.com for more information regarding events or submissions.

MEET YOUR BOARD MEMBER
SHIRLEY SUMMERS
Board Treasurer
 
Hello everyone,
My name is Shirley Summers and I am your Treasurer for the Friends of the Atascadero Library.  Although my profession is as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I have had training as an accountant and worked as an accountant for about two years.
 
I grew up in the Bay Area and used the school and public library a lot as a child and as a teen.  When I went to college I practically lived in the study rooms and the reference rooms of the college library.  There were several years between my BA degree and my MSW.  Enough, so that I thought the library switch from using the card catalog to using the library computer system was going to get the better of me.  It did not.
 
I came to SLO County in 1968, when my then husband, had  finished graduate school and went to work at Atascadero State Hospital.  At that time the Atascadero Library was located in the Veterans Memorial Building downtown.  Both of my children participated in the library programs for children and were always part of the summer reading programs.  They have fond memories of those days.  Now when my grandchildren visit they like to come to children's programming.  In July of this year, I took my nine-year-old grandson to "Blues for Kids." He liked it and I learned about songs the slaves sang to one another  and how they helped one another on the road to freedom.
 
During the 1970's and 80's, I was involved with planning and with the development of a vision of where Atascadero would go.  I was a member of the Atascadero Advisory Committee (Advisory to the County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors).  I worked for the incorporation of Atascadero and sat on the Atascadero City Planning Commission for the first seven years after incorporation.
 
I actually did not begin my employment career until 1986.  I am currently a retired clinical social worker from both SLO County and from the State of California.  I am very pleased to be back to doing community service and am pleased to be part of the FOAL and to be your treasurer.  Thank you for that opportunity....Shirley   
Lon Allan, docent and historian, at  one of his favorite places, the Atascadero Historical Society Building
Photo by Deborah Cash

Historian Lon Allan 

Presents at Library

 

A special presentation by Atascadero resident, FOAL supporter and columnist for The Tribune, Lon Allan will be held on Thursday, September 17 at 6 PM at the Atascadero Library.  Lon will celebrate Local History Month with a talk and photo show about the toy and doll industry that was part of the community's historic economy.


 

To read Lon's Tribune column from Sept 1, click here

 
Photo by Anne Harris
CAPTAIN'S CORNER UPDATE

Good things come to those who wait!  The children's reading corner at the library--officially designated Captain's Corner--recently received comfy cushions to make little readers' experience more enjoyable.  The "daisy" pillows have been placed near the art tree and definitely add a nice touch to the raised stage area of the children's section.
 
Dedication signage should be installed soon and many thanks go out to Captain's "people" Anne Harris and Mark Stengel for matching the funds from the Barbara Baltimore Grant to make the reading tree area become a reality.  Thanks to Liz Helgerson too for writing the grant that got the ball rolling.

As a side note:  Props to Captain himself for giving an effort "fur" the cause--on numerous outings at other community events, Captain happily showcased his stuff, garnering belly rubs and support from people wanting to donate to his Library corner!
 

For now, Captain, pictured left, has taken the next step in his career and has recently completed advanced training that enables him to visit care facilities, hospitals and senior residences; Captain is a member of the French Hospital "Healing Paws" Program. 
 
Anne Harris shares that she's had Captain since he was three; he's now 10 years old.  "It was immediately apparent that he loved people, animals and wanted to be a good dog."  Thus, the idea of his being a Therapy Dog was born.  He participated in the "Reading to Rover" program at the Atascadero Library for four years and that is why the "new" corner area of the Atascadero Library is named after him.  He and Anne are a nationally certified animal-assisted therapy team through Pet Partners/Delta Society and visit many sites to bring happiness and healing on a regular basis.
Librarian's Message
Joe Laurenzi, MLS 
Regional Librarian, North County
 
Librarian Joe Laurenzi and 
Friends' Board President Linda Zirk at a recent Library art celebration
Photo by Deborah Cash
We have had another big summer with over 1,000 children attending Summer Reading Programs at Colony Park sponsored by the Friends of the Library. And now that school is back in session, on August 25, 628 people visited the library. We hope all of you make it in soon to see us this Fall and see what the library has going on. We will use part of your donations to order new books to kick off the Fall reading season. These generous gifts will benefit our book collection and help add to the richness of  the resources that the county library system provides. 

Also, we have our new Fall programs list available. Please stop in and pick up a copy and attend some wonderful programming planned by your Adult Services Librarian, Brian Coburn, and your interim youth services librarian, me.
 
September is Local History Month and we have two programs on
Atascadero's wonderful local history including a presentation by Lynn
Johnson on the Atascadero Historical Society's proposed history center. Lon
Allan will also speak about one of Atascadero most unique historical
businesses, the Dooley Doll Factory. The county is collaborating with the
Central Coast Railroad Museum and Kindermusik to provide special story times
on transportation. We have music, movies, lectures, crafts, Legos and much
more all happening this fall.
 
We would like to welcome two new staff members to our team. Shawnita
August and Joey Ley are transfers from San Luis Obispo and Cambria Libraries
respectively. They bring so much energy to our library and have done an
amazing job bringing new ideas to help generate positive energy within our
team. They bring a high level of customer service and library experience to
us so please take time to introduce yourselves and welcome them to our
community.
 
September is National Library Card Month, it's a great time to talk
about the importance of your library card and what it does for you. Here is
a challenge. Visit the Library once a week. Get your friends, who don't have
a library card, to visit this wonderful resource using its space and amazing
resources. Thank you for your support!
 
Joe Laurenzi

FOAL Financial Report through July, 2015
Submitted by Shirley Summers, FOAL Treasurer

Operations Report

Income
BBQ In The Park              4365.00
Bookstore Sales               1635.72
 
Total Income                   6000.72
 
Expenses
Building/Space rental           75.00
Advertising/Newsletter         50.00
Chamber of Comm Dues   121.00
Adult Programs                  750.00
Misc. Supplies                    235.00
Post Box Rental                   82.00
Supplies                             191.32
BBQ In The Park              2119.35
Library Express Books       393.74
Colony Days Parade          205.87
 
Total Expenses               4223.28
 
Current Balance           32,197.93

FRIENDS OF THE ATASCADERO LIBRARY 

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

President--Linda Zirk

Vice President--Jeannie Malik

Recording Secretary--Susie Blackwell

Corresponding Secretary--Carol Gobler

Treasurer--Shirley Summers

Past President--Robert Alberti

Members-- Grenda Ernst, Liz Helgerson, Christina Lefevre Latner, Leigh Livick, Jim Patterson, Linda Persons, Marguerite Kelly-Pulley, Alice Rew, Sharon Turner

Webmaster--Tom Thompson  heytwt@hotmail.com

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








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Friends of the Library, P.O. Box 561, 
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