Friends of the Southeast Regional & Perry Branch Libraries

January 2010 Edition, Friends Website – www.friendsofserl.org

Happy New Year from Your Friends at Friends Place!

Several new and great things have happened for Friends Place. After 6 years of asking, begging and suggesting changes in the vending area, we did it! The vending machines are moved and we now have that additional space. I hope you will stop by to see how nice the area is working out for our many donations. We have decided to put all non-fiction in the new area. One of our donations was several beautiful framed prints that we thought would look nice on the walls. A comfortable leather chair and small ottoman are there to provide a place to sit and browse.

Next is our continuing support of the community. Our Scholarship Committee revised the application and the new applications will be available on January 15. High school seniors residing in Gilbert may pick up applications at the store or from their school counselor. The criteria have not changed. The awards are for community volunteering beyond that required by the schools. Please let your student know of this $1,000 scholarship.

Friends are in the process of opening an annex at the new Senior Center which is located at 130 N. Oak Street in Gilbert Once the contract is finalized we shall stock books there for the senior and the surrounding community. This will be a combined effort with the Town of Gilbert and the Senior Center Site Council. I am looking forward to this outreach benefiting the seniors, Friends and the community.

On November 11^th, the new children’s area remodel “The Dig’’ was officially presented to the community. The mural on the interior and exterior walls was funded by Friends as well as the new carpet and the puppet stage. The dv8 Murals group went beyond their contract donating extra time and material to this beautiful work of art. Please take a look, the windows are uncovered and I know you will be amazed at the theme and the art.

We’ve changed the discard program with the Maricopa Prison. Our pickup has been dropped due to lack of ability to come to our area anymore. We have contracted Arizona Recycle to pick up our hardback and paper items that are not sellable due to age, content or condition. The small profit will be set aside to cover the cost when the discards aren’t within the required weight.

Friends received the Books for Arizona Libraries $3,000 Grant again and we are busy putting books in two elementary schools, the eastside Veterans Medical Facility and the Jails. If you know of a Title 1 school that needs books, please contact me at the store, or call me at 480-840-1318.

None of this is possible without our 30 plus volunteers, the donations and the patrons who visit, shop and enjoy the best book bargains in town. Our thanks to you all are sent with a wish for a happy and prosperous New Year! Thank you.

Donna Petersen, President, Friends of the Library

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Friends Membership Drive!

Hello Friends. We greatly appreciate our faithful members. The time, effort and funds you contribute to Friends of the Library are phenomenal! However, the economic realities of 2009 have taken their toll on our Friends membership rolls which makes our support of our Libraries even more essential.

With that in mind, we announce our Friends Member Drive! During January and February 2010 every new Friends member will receive free our Friends of the Library Cookbook (a $10 value). By purchasing a one year, tax deductible membership of $15.00 per person or $25 per family you will receive a 10% discount on every purchase of donated items, preferred day-before shopping at our Half Price Sales and a free Cookbook! What a deal!

Please help us spread the word. Let’s boost our Friends roster and support our community libraries. By the way, during our Membership Drive, our current Friends members may purchase the Cookbook for only $5. Buy for yourself or the Cookbook makes a lovely gift. Thank you for your support!

Terry Pullins, Membership Chairperson

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Perry Branch Library News

It is with great regret that I am leaving Perry Branch Library to move home to Connecticut with my family. I wanted to thank the Friends of the Library, and Donna & Al Petersen for all their support of our branch since opening and beyond. Your countless hours worked as volunteers is nothing short of remarkable…it is because of you we can give our community a place to come and enjoy. You truly are “friends”.

Many thanks and best wishes to this organization for many years to come.

Jennifer Miele, Branch Manager, Perry Branch Library

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Friends to Award $1,000 Scholarships!

Attention Graduating Seniors! It is time once again for the Friends Place Scholarship Program. This year we will be awarding up to five $1,000 scholarships to eligible seniors that are graduating from high school. These scholarships are awarded in recognition of outstanding community service.

To be eligible you must: be a graduating high school senior residing in the Town of Gilbert; must be furthering your education through college, university, community college or vocational school, must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher and must have volunteer experience other than the service required by your school.

Applications for the scholarship will be available beginning on Friday, January 15, 2010. Your application must be completed and returned by March 27, 2010. Please note, late applications will not be considered. Applications will be available from school counselors, Friends Place bookstore or Perry Branch Library. Good luck and keep volunteering.

Diane Owens, Scholarship Chairperson

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Tutor Volunteers Always Needed

A wonderful way to start out the New Year would be by offering your services as a volunteer tutor for the Mesa Laubach Literacy Council. Initial training will be scheduled as needed so that volunteers don’t have to wait for a workshop.

The Mesa Laubach Literacy Council Citizenship Class, funded by the Friends, will “graduate” 14 students at the end of January. Originally scheduled for 12-lesson, once-a-week, this course was extended a month by instructor Ron Piper so that the students will get adequate practice on all aspects of the naturalization interview and test. One student who was tutored separately successfully passed the test and was sworn in as a citizen at a December ceremony. So, congratulations to the instructor and the student for this great accomplishment.

If you would like to learn more about volunteering as a tutor, please call Friends Literacy representative Kay Azuma at 480-813-4564 or send her an email to azumas@AOL.com or contact the Mesa Laubach Literacy Council at 480-964-3883.

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THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS FOR OVER 5,255 HOURS!

As all of you know, our Friends Place store operates with only volunteer help! Each day there is a manager and mostly the same volunteers for that day. It is a perfect arrangement, one that keeps the doors open. Several of our long time volunteers have been at the Store since the beginning. This longtime commitment serving the community shows the dedication of these long timers and the other wonderful ladies and teens. This is the first year we have gone over the 5,000 hours mark. Please thank the person who helps you when you visit Friends Place. They will appreciate it.

The behind-the-scene volunteers are Dennis Swaney, eBay Store; Pat Wolcott, Newsletter Editor, Al Petersen, Treasurer and Leslie Marshall our resident poster maker. Thank you all.

Donna Petersen

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Board Meeting to be Held, Tuesday, January 26

All members of the Friends of the Library are invited to the next Board Meeting on Tuesday, January 26. It will begin at 10:00 a.m. in the Conference Room of the Southeast Regional Library.

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Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima Celebrates 65th Anniversary on February 23

The Southeast Regional Library is proud to have the artwork of this memorable event hanging in its library. The Raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima by photographer Joe Rosenthal, was presented to the Town of Gilbert on February 26, 2000 by the Friends of the Southeast Regional Library. The Friends purchased this art piece with proceeds from the sale of personalized tiles that are located at the Library’s main entrance.

This signed, limited edition (111/300) print of the Pulitzer Prize winning photograph is part of the 50^th Anniversary Commemorative Edition approved by Rosenthal. It was photographed on Mount Suribachi, Iwo Jima on February 23, 1945 while Rosenthal was on assignment for the Associated Press during World War II. One of the U.S. Marines in this photograph is Pfc. Ira Hayes who was born on the Gila River Indian Reservation at Sacaton, Arizona.

So, if you have not yet seen this art treasure, be sure to do so.

Friends Board Members 2009/2010

Officers

President Donna Petersen donna7al4petersen@cox.net

Vice President Lynda Swaney dmswaney@gmail.com

Treasurer Al Petersen al4donna7petersen@cox.net

Secretary Laura Luke lauralukerocks@cox.net

Executive Board

Sue Kolnitys staeg5@hotmail.com

Gary Willman thewill@juno.com

Aida Woodward

Diane Owens kowens4@cox.net