Honoring the Past…Building for the Future

The SCFOL Board would like to thank our San Carlos Branch Library’s outstanding staff, led by Managing Librarian David Ege and Youth Services Librarian Erin Moore, for keeping the Community engaged in all that our libraries have to offer during the last 3 years of COVID.  They continue to do so with dwindling staff numbers, as several long time employees retired and others were transferred due to staffing shortages elsewhere. Out of date and worn out tomes made way for up-to-date reference books and newly published novels have joined our old favorites.  Although life may never return to pre-COVID ways, we have all learned how to move forward invoking new and hopefully better methods. We  encourage everyone to make use of the many on-line services that will continue to be available.

The Annual SCFOL General Membership meeting was held November 16, 2022, in the Winer Family Community Room and Art Gallery. The 2023 SCFOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS was approved by the membership.  We welcomed our new President, Bill Bischoff, and retiring President, Joan Hayes remains as a member of the Board. We also welcomed Dottie Vieira to the SCFOL Board replacing past-president Judy Williams.

A SCBL year-in-review was presented by David Ege, and a NEW SCBL UPDATE was presented by Robert Cronk (Deputy Director SDPL Public Services) standing in for Raul Gudino, (Deputy Director of Library Operations). You are encouraged to read both of their messages.

We welcomed four new SCFOL Life Members whose names have been added to the SCFOL Honor Wall on display in the Winer Family Community Room & Art Gallery.  They are: Figueroa, Kristine; Haag, Gail; McLeod, Tamara; Noel, Toni.  We thank all of our 140 Life and 150 –2022 annual SCFOL Members for their continued support.  Please remember to renew your Annual Memberships at any level.  Memberships do COUNT both financially and to show support for the San Carlos Branch Library.  Now that mitigation of the corner lot is complete, we look forward to its purchase in early 2023.  The cost of building the new SCBL has grown significantly since its inception over 25 years ago.  If you  have an idea to help with this next step, we have people willing to listen.

In 2022, the SCBL once again opened its doors to in-person activities which included adult and children programing, book clubs and kids reading times, author talks and speakers, and allowed SCFOL to reinstate its monthly Used Book sales which are our main revenue source. All of this has been made possible by  your continued Community support via Friends memberships, donations, SCFOL Used Book Sales, and of course our wonderful volunteers. Each year, SCFOL donates directly, plus around $20,000 to the City’s Library Matching Fund.  This Fund will increase next year due to the support of our City Council and Mayor for the San Diego Public Library  system. We thank the Community and our City leaders for the support they give to keep our libraries a viable community resource for all, and hope you will also support the 2024 Libraries & Parks 4 All Ballot Initiative.