PRES SEZ: Joan Hayes, 2018-year in review

 2018 has flown by and the San Carlos Friends of the Library (SCFOL) has had another busy year supporting the San Carlos Branch Library.  Branch event attendance continues to increase and we look forward to news about building a larger branch facility.

SCFOL personnel changes this year include Bill Bischoff who took over as Volunteer Coordinator from retiring, Lee Ottman.  Bischoff is updating the SCFOL volunteer roster and looking for additional book sale helpers. Another retiree, Author Program Chair Carlene Hemric, relocated, and Lesley Frazier is now signing up authors for our 2019 series.  The Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery walls are covered monthly with inspiring new art displays created by local artists. Shows are scheduled by artist and SCFOL Art Chair Barbara Stewart. Meet these talented artists at the monthly Artist receptions.  Please log onto the SCFOL website where our Branch’s calendar and program descriptions are updated by Publicity Chair Sue Hotz, who also writes this column and sends out SCFOL Newsletters. Bobbi Dennis keeps the membership list organized.  Our current SCFOL membership stands at 196 annual members, with an additional 116 Life Members whose names are displayed in the Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery.

Revenue from our monthly Used Book Sales, membership dues, and donations, enabled SCFOL to contribute $20,000 to the San Diego Public Library Matching Fund. This Fund is matched by the City of San Diego and used by the branch libraries to purchase materials, programs, and equipment.  Thanks to Ron McFee and all who make our book sales so successful!   We honored four SCFOL Volunteers this year, Su Bonnet, Sue Dennis, Jo Matthews and Evie McGhee, at the Friends of the San Diego Public Library (FSDPL) annual meeting.  They represent all of our enthusiastic volunteers.  FSDPL will celebrate its 40th anniversary in 2019.

There would be no Friends of the Library without libraries.  Kudos goes to our wonderful Branch Manager David Ege. Ege, assisted by Library Assistants Sarah Hendy-Jackson and Stephanie Kern, put together an intriguing speaker lineup. Ege also organized a super successful first annual Robotics event!  Awesome Youth Services Librarian, Erin Moore, coordinated the Branch’s standing room only Summer Reading Program and outstanding youth recurring and special event programs.

I look forward to another year as your President of SCFOL and working with a great Board, volunteers, and library staff. The annual SCFOL General Membership meeting is Wednesday, November 14, 4-5:30 p.m. Please join us then for a very exciting program and at our monthly 3rd Wednesday @ 4p.m. SCFOL Board meetings.

See you at the Library!

Joan Hayes