Friends in action

The monthly board meeting of the Friends of the Library was held Wednesday March 14 in the Library's temporary home in City Hall.   Active projects in the works include:

• Preparing for The Future Begins Here, May 5, 2013 -- the annual fundraiser hosted at the Holyoke Mall and benefitting three non-profit organizations (including our Library) that provide services to children, our future.  Chair of this year's Library team for FBH is HPLC Board member Susan Carey. Brittney Noble is in charge of the Silent Auction; please contact her if you have items to donate or could help in soliciting fabulous auction items. Table sponsorships (advance reservations for tables of 10; due April 10) are being solicited by Sandy Ward.  Volunteers to staff the auction tables on May 5 will also be needed, as always.
• Recruiting and nominating potential new board members to fill anticipated openings. (One-third of our three-year terms expire each year; elections will be held in June.) Contact Connie Kennedy or Darlene Elias if you would like to serve on the Nominating Committee or have suggestions for people to nominate.
• Improving the workflow of our newsletter production. We seek someone with knowledge of, and access to, Publisher software (or other appropriate software for creating a newsletter).

In addition, Friends are busy helping the Library Campaign Office prepare for a series of April events that will benefit the Library. First and foremost is the special gala on April 4th celebrating the work of photographer Jerome Liebing. Christine Alger, President of the Friends, has helped plan that party. Throughout the month of April there will be many art exhibits in conjunction with, or inspired by, the 1982 Liebling photographs of Holyoke. Sandy Ward has participated in a "Ripple Effect" project involving photos taken by teens at Girls, Inc. Artworks created from the Library's old glass floor panels will be on display as the Glass Block Art Project. See the Holyoke: Points of View website, http://hpov.org/ for a complete list of exhibits and more information about each.

Christine Alger, Tim Damon, and Sandy Ward will be hosting tours of the library construction site in upcoming months. A new schedule has just been arranged -- now on Wednesday afternoons at 2pm. Contact Debra Vega at the Campaign office (322-5636) if YOU want to sign up for a tour!