Read the current issue of the Friends Newsletter: Shades of Brown
May & June ’13
This next Book Review Luncheon will be in the Fall of 2013.
On Tuesday, December 4, the Friends of the JV Brown Library held their Annual Membership meeting.
All members of the Friends’ organization were invited to attend this end-of-year meeting.
President Tricia Shipman called the meeting to order at 5:17 PM. The first order of business was to have a brief business meeting of the Board for December. The Annual Membership meeting followed at 5:50.
David Wright, Treasurer of both the Board and the Book Store, presented the annual summary of each account. He also presented tentative budgets for consideration. The budgets will be adopted in January when the December figures are complete. It was noted that in 2012 the Friends Favorites Gently Used Book Store gave $16,000 to the library and the Friends of the JVB library, as an organization, gave another $28,300. These funds are used to further both goods and services in all the department of the library,
Shirley Alters, representing the library, read a poem that cleverly captured the help that the library received from Friends, month by month. Board of Trustees chairman, Harold Hershberger, echoed Alters’ enthusiasm for the Friends’ involvement in the life of the library.
Committee reports followed
Program Planning, responsible for the monthly Book Review Luncheon, announced that it has split into two sub-committees. One is responsible for the program and the other for the menu to be served. Membership announced that as of that date membership is at 468 representing dues and contributions of $22,140.00 with an average of $47.31 per member. It is this money plus two annual book sales and the income from the store that allow the Friends to support the library as they do. Reports were also heard from the chairs of Publicity/Newsletter, Mailing, Volunteer Recognition, and Book Sorting.
Alison Hopper, chair of the Governing Committee, then introduced three prospective board members for election. They are Ardythe Cross (retired teacher, one of the founding families of the West Branch School, reading specialist in the Milton SD teachinig at the Montandon elementary school for 26 years), Mary Beth Kibbe (retired Jersey Shore high school English teacher, volunteer tutor at the JVB Learning Center, active in the Clinton County retired teachers’ organization – PASR), and David Dahl (a lifelong resident of Lycoming County, retired after 35 years of working in the Lycoming County Assistance office, helps members of his local Alpine hiking club to maintain a section of the Loyalsock Trail, served in the US Army Reserve, and coached youth soccer on two levels). All three have worked at the library book sales and in the used book store. All were elected to positions on the board. Re-elected to new terms were Betsy Madsen, Mark Noe, and Greg Thomas.
New officers were introduced
They are Linda Schramm–President
Greg Thomas–Vice-President
Mark Noe–Recording Secretary
David Wright–Treasurer
The last business of the evening was to recognize two outgoing board members for their long years of dedication and leadership.
Maria Gustafson served a tenure of thirteen years as a Director on the Friends’ Board. Even before coming on the Board of Directors in 1999, Maria, an avid reader, volunteered at the Library shelving books, helping with book sales and serving as an instructor and coach for people learning to use computers – SeniorNet.
During her time on the Board Maria served as the treasurer from 1999 until 2009 and filled in as secretary whenever needed. She continued to be very active at book sales (for a number of years storing books for the sale in her own garage) and worked on a regular basis at the Friends used book store. A member of the Book Review Luncheon Committee, Maria often made the soup or salad for the meal.
In November 2012 Maria, along with Nancy Lady, was awarded the Carile Brown Award. The award honors individuals who have, through a long term commitment, reflected the ideals of the founders of the Library, James and Carile Brown.
Even though she is retiring from the Board Maria will keep volunteering at the Library. “I have felt the Library has done more for me than I have done for the Library. It has made me feel that I am doing something for our community”.
Margie Shaw has been in service to the Brown Library for over 20 years. She has served on the Friends Board in numerous capacities, always an enthusiastic and encouraging worker. She served as president twice – one time for five consecutive years.
She energetically led the project of getting the Friends Favorites Gently Used Book Store through to completion. She regularly has overseen the annual Volunteer Recognition event, seeing to it that the library’s most valuable assets – its volunteers – are generously and graciously appreciated.
In 2009, Margie also received the Carile Brown Award for her selfless time and energy devoted to promoting the library and its services throughout the community.
Margie said the when she and her husband, Gordon, decided to settle here over 30 years ago one of the most impressive places they visited was the library. Margie is a former librarian for the Brown library.
Both women received flowers as gifts–Gustafson at the meeting and Shaw later that week at the Book Review Luncheon as she was out of town on Tuesday.
The meeting adjourned and a light supper of stew, bread, and other foods was enjoyed by all in attendance.
Recognition Reception held by Friends Board
by Nancy Boyer
On Wednesday, November 7, the Board of Directors of the Friends of the JV Brown Library hosted all of the library and Friends’ volunteers at a Recognition Reception in the Lowry Theatre of the Welch Library Wing. Nearly 60 volunteers attended the event which started at 5:00 and ended at 7:00 PM.
Tricia Shipman, President of the Board, introduced the various aspects of the evening. Harold Hershberger, President of the Board of Trustees, conveyed that board’s appreciation for the many volunteers without whom the library could not survive as well as it does. Barbara McGary, Library Director, expressed the thanks of the staff with whom the volunteers work hand in hand. She pointed out that the volunteers are the best voice that the library has in the community. Their positive attitudes and hard work and comments mean far more than any advertising can buy. She delivered written comments from staff members to all who attended. Some of the comments were: Volunteers are the best ambassadors in our community. They are my heroes. They love the library enough that they want to help. We couldn’t do it without them!
Past-president and long time board member and volunteer, Margie Shaw, then talked briefly about one of the founding members of the Friends of the JVB, Freddie Kisberg, who recently passed away. Kisberg was an early President of the Friends, a tireless volunteer who, among other jobs ran the annual book sale for many years. She was given one of the earliest Carile Brown Awards. She had a long history and deep love for the library and Shaw pointed out that Freddie was one of her own earliest mentors, taking Margie under her wing when the Shaws first moved to town.
At a recent board meeting the Friends honored Kisberg with a $250 Book Trust that will put a book in the collection every year for five years.
Shipman then introduced the department heads who introduced their own teams of volunteers. Those volunteer opportunities are the Literacy program, BRAVO (folks who deliver books to shut-ins), general library volunteers who re-shelve books and help visitors find the areas where their interests are, Book-/Story-Mobile helpers, and Senior Net (an all volunteer effort where over 2500 senior citizens have honed their computer skills).
Then the many Friends of the Library volunteers were introduced. The opportunities these folks have, as they work tirelessly to raise extra funding for the library, are working the twice a year book sales, manning the book store (Friends Favorites Gently Used Books), sorting all the book donations to go to either the store or the sale, and hosting Book Review Luncheons on the first Friday of each month October through June.
Other invited guests who were recognized were the Board of Trustees, the Gala Committee, and members of the library staff.
Besty Madsen was then recognized as the Volunteer of the Year for her tireless work as book sorting chairman/organizer and for her role on the membership committee as membership statistician.
As sorting chairman she has overseen the sorting of tons of books into store, sale, or (sadly) not sell-able. She then, with a small team of helpers, organizes them onto shelves for the store or boxes for the sale. Recently she has overseen the move of the book donations from the basement to the new wonderful space with many shelves on the fourth floor. This task also earns her the title of book sale co-chair. Betsy has probably touched every book that has gone to the sales. As membership statistician she keeps track of over 460 members and their volunteer interests. She has been on the board for four years.
The Carile Brown Award is being shared this year by two long time Friends and board members. Nancy Lady is well-known in the community as a volunteer in many areas. Her love for the library is obvious when you count the times that she is seen within the walls of the JVB. Her commitments have included being board secretary a number of times, mentor and guide to many new board members, book store volunteer, liaison between the Friends and Pine Street Church where the book sales have been recently. Another hat she wears is that of “Mailing Crew Chairman”. In this capacity she organizes a group of volunteer who stuff many of the mailings that go out from the library – all of the Friends’ mailings and once in a while even the library mailings. The latest mailing event involved 13 volunteers who stuffed four items in each of over 4000 envelopes mailed to donors. Shipman pointed out that when you see beyond Nancy’s “teacher look and voice” there is one of the warmest and most generous friends you could ever meet.
Maria Gustafson also is receiving a Carile Brown Award. The Carile Brown award is given to someone whose constant commitment to the library and the community reflects the ideals of the founders James and Carile Brown. Maria, like Nancy, has been a board member for many years. She served as treasurer for at least 10 years, has been involved in the sorting process for many years, is a Senior Net tutor, book store volunteer, book sale volunteer recruiter and, like Lady, a constant presence at the sales. She serves on the Book Review Luncheon Committee, helping with both lunch and programs.
She also, for many years, before room was provided on the fourth floor of the library, stored hundreds of boxes of sale ready books in her garage!
The presence of both of these experienced book lovers on the board has been valuable to all new members. Each of the three honorees received framed plaques and a book of their choosing added to the library. The Carile Brown Honorees will have their names added to the large plaque in the Vintage Library lobby.
The evening ended with Nina Edgerton, Youth Services/Children’s Librarian, reading (as a thank you to the volunteers) The Night Before Thanksgiving by Dave Pilkey.
Previous Issues – Friends of the Library Newsletter
2013
2012
2011
2010