Friends of the Library Meeting Minutes Sept. 8, 2007

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
BOLIVAR-HARDEMAN COUNTY CHAPTER
September 8, 2007


Friends of the Library met on the above date at the Bolivar-Hardeman County Regional Library. Those present were: Wanza Taylor, Librarian; Rosalyn Browder, Library Board Consultant; Dolores Fortune, Library Board Consultant; Pat Vincent, Genealogy Consultant; Juanita Bowden, Treasurer; Barbara Stamey; and Annette Lowrance, Secretary.

Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order by Mrs. Juanita Bowden at 10:30 AM and the following was discussed:

Minutes of Last Meeting:
The minutes of March 3, 2007 were read by Annette.
A correction was made to the following sentence:
The Library sends thanks to Mrs. Jane Stevens for her generous contribution. The word “contribution” was changed to “indefinite loan” in the minutes. The minutes were approved by everyone present, and with this change, will stand as written.

Financial Report:
Mrs. Juanita Bowden reported that we have a total of $473.61 in our account as of today. *Reminder – annual membership dues are $25.00. Checks should be made to Bolivar-Hardeman County Friends of the Library.

$119.00 annual payment is due for the Library website. Since a credit card payment is required, Wanza agreed to charge the dues to her personal credit card. It was agreed by all present to reimburse her from the Friends of the Library account.


OLD BUSINESS

There was no old business to discuss.

NEW BUSINESS

Election of Officers 2007-2008:
Officers were elected as follows:
President: Walter Bowden
Treasurer: Juanita Bowden
Secretary: Annette Lowrance
Genealogy Consultant: Pat Vincent
Library Board Consultants: Dolores Fortune & Rosalyn Browder

DIRECTOR’S REPORT:

Total circulation: 13,798
New Library cards issued: 74
Total Library cards holders: 6,874
History Room:
The Library History Room had 133 visitors last month, some from as far away as California.

Genealogy Databases:
The genealogy databases continue to be extremely popular with 2455 searches this month.

Library Out-reach Programs:
Five visits were made to area nursing homes, Bolivar Senior Citizens, and assisted living facilities to provide library programming and/or library materials to our senior citizens who may not have access to the Library.

Events Held:
An adult Basic Computer Skills class was held August 7, 2007. As usual, the class was full with four participants. The next class is scheduled for Sept. 18, 2007. More people will be able to attend due to the new computers we have received.

The Library hosted a seminar entitled “Writing and Publishing Your First Book” on August 11, 2007. Amanda Avery from Silver Key Publishing conducted the seminar. It was a huge success with approximately 20 participants.

On August 18, 2007, the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting for the British Royal Commemoratives Exhibit was held. Over 100 people attended this event. As of this time, over 150 people have visited the exhibit since it opened just a few weeks ago. Some were from as far away as Missouri.

The Library held a “Back to School” Children’s Program August 25, 2007. 14 children and teen volunteers participated in the event.

Tammy and Bryson Crowder were here Sat., August 25, 2007 for a book signing.

The Summer Reading Program was extremely successful:
June: 10 Programs with 266 attending
July: 10 Programs with 506 attending

New Computers:
The 16 new HP computers arrived late in August and were installed by state personnel on August 29, 2007. A time limit of one and one-half hours has been set for usage of the computers, and personal information devices such as flash-drives and floppies may now be used. These computers, valued at over $12,000.00, were free through a grant the Library received.

Bolivar- Hardeman County Library Genealogical Society:
The first meeting of the Bolivar-Hardeman County Library Genealogical Society met on August 18, 2007 in the History Room. It was very successful with sixteen attending. This group has no officers, and is organized to do research and assist each other in a relaxed, stress-free environment.



Tennessee Electronic Library:
Andy Carter, who is our West Tennessee representative of Volunteer Voices, has sent a letter informing us that he will be here September 17, 18, 20, and 21, 2007. He will spend one day of this time at the Pillars. The goal is to build a digital library from Tennessee’s historical collections. He is interested in original documents of historical significance, such as pictures, records, diaries, maps, etc. It was noted hat pictures and records can be from the recent-past, such as Viet Nam, just as long as they are historically significant. Pictures/documents will be scanned on site and returned to the owner. Those present were encouraged to read the letter to their churches and other organizations. For more information, visit the website at http://www.volunteervoices.org/.

Upcoming Events:
Bryan Davis
September 29, 2007 – 10:00 AM at the Library
Speaking and Book-signing

Meeting Adjourned:
The meeting was adjourned at 11:45 AM.

Anyone who wishes to help in any way should contact the Hardeman County Regional Library, 213 N. Washington Street, Bolivar, TN. 38008, Phone # 731/658-3436.

Next Meeting:
The next meeting of the Friends of the Library will be held Dec. 1, 2007, at 10:30 AM in the Library.


Annette Lowrance, CPS
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SUBMITTED BY: Annette Lowrance, CPS