July 12, 2010

These are exciting times for the San Diego Public Library and I’m delighted to have the opportunity to serve this year as President of your Point Loma/Hervey Friends of the Library. Overall, San Diego Library usage reached an all time high this year with over 7.6 million items loaned out, close to 211,000 people attending youth and adult programs and library attendance of over 6.6 million visitors, which Library Director Deborah Barrow points out exceeded attendance at the San Diego Padres and Charger home games combined!

On July 28, groundbreaking for the new downtown Central Library will take place, a goal many of you worked for years to achieve.  Scheduled for completion in 2013, the new heart of our 35- branch library system will be a major addition to our City’s educational and cultural life.  There is a wealth of information on the project and an ongoing blog by Director Barrow on the library’s webpage (sandiego.gov/public-library) which is well worth following.

As everyone knows, we are not out of the woods on funding yet – there’s some $32 million to be raised from private donations, a challenging task in these economic times but one that must be met.  Do what you can to help.
 
Friends of the Library groups have already shown their strength this fiscal year by contributing one million dollars which the City has matched with another million dollars for overall Library operations and acquisitions.  Here in Point Loma your Friends of the Library memberships have funded a wealth of programs, book and equipment purchases and building beautification projects.  We are proud of the result and hope you are too.

On September 15 we will have a special celebration of the seventh anniversary of the move into our beautiful Point Loma/Hervey Library building.  Please mark the date on your calendars and plan to join us to hear about the past, present and future of your community library and all the things it offers you and your family.
 
 On a personal note, since I am a relative newcomer to the area, I am not a familiar face to many and look forward to meeting you.  I welcome your ideas, suggestions, and input (mkreeber2@aol.com) and, most of all welcome your participation in our activities.  I’ve loved and used libraries since I was a little kid and would like to kindle that same love in others.

Mary K. Reeber
President
Friends of the Point Loma Library

Greetings to the Point Loma/Hervey Friends of the Library

During the summer months the Program Chairs, Web Master and Branch Manager have been very busy.  Our web site has been updated and our program schedule has been planned with interesting speakers, musical treats and OASIS learning opportunities.  The Book Room continues to be busy selling wonderful books at bargain prices while raising funds to benefit our beloved library.

If you would like to receive a copy of our wonderful newsletter, the Periscope, print a copy of the membership form on this website and take it, with your joiners fee, to the circulation desk at the library.

We hope to see our Friends (you!) soon, as we celebrate our 6th anniversary.

Anne J. Hill
President
Point Loma/Hervey Friends of the Library

Library Whispers from Friends

In this “whispered” message, I would rather “roar” about the accomplishments of the Friends and encourage library patrons to become more active in all of the wonderful opportunities this beautiful community center has to offer.  There are programs for all ages and most of them are entirely free to the public.  We do, however, strongly encourage you to join the Friends of the Point Loma Library, so you will receive our newsletter, the Periscope, to learn about the wide array of opportunities.  Membership envelopes can be found at the library circulation desk.

The year of 2009 seems to have come in with pageantry of the Inauguration in one hand and challenges in the other.  It is a time when we are all being nudged toward community service, education and, in some cases, a willingness to sacrifice.  Volunteers are needed in all segments of the community, including the library. When you think of the library, what comes to mind?  Books? How about music?  Or CD’s and Videos? Or art classes?  What about Yoga? Educational opportunities for Seniors? Computer access? All of these and more are taking place in the community center known as the Point Loma Hervey Library!  I think you will agree with me that these sound more like “perks” than sacrifices.

Here are just a few of the many ways the Friends of the Library have supported our Point Loma branch:

Volunteer staffing of the book room
Cleaning (carpets, power washing steps, tree trimming)
New blackout blinds in the Community Room
Signage for the library
Underwriting of OASIS programs
Underwriting of music programs
New shelving
Support of Peninsula Singers
Matching funds for books
Matching funds for programs
Matching funds for equipment
Programs for One Book, One San Diego
Recycling of used cell phones
Language classes
Library Anniversary celebrations

In addition to the support the Point Loma Friends of the Library  have given to our own branch, we have also reached out to the Logan Heights Friends of the Library as a “sister library” to assist them as they prepare for the opening of their new facility in the Fall of 2009.

It is easy to see why we are called “friends.” 

Anne Hill
President
Friends of the Point Loma Hervey Library