Good morning. I am up a little earlier than usual as my two dogs (who apparently OWN me) decided it was time to get up and go outside at 5:45 a.m. as opposed to their usual 6:30 a.m. I shuffled to the back deck to let them out…. and immediately through slitted eyes searched for the coffee pot.
On Monday evening I went to my first Friends Of The Library meeting. This has been a “long time coming” process. Every year at the annual book sales I see their flyers looking for people to join them. They are the group that organizes events at the library, Book In A Bag (that is a 10 copies of a popular book to be checked out for book clubs), author events, speakers, etc….
I always thought if I say I love my library as much as I do…. why am I not a part of this. Well…really there is only one reason…
I love being a part of the excitement of waiting in line for the Library Sale. Seriously. Remember my post last fall about the sale? I have a blast trying to be first in line…. talking with the people outside, waiting excitedly to go in and load my bags with books…..
but here I am…. now a Friend of The Library.
The first meeting for me was interesting. It was going over the summer plans for the library, which of us would take turns hosting the author events, how much money was in the friend’s account”, the dates for the fall library sale (THE DATES FOR THE FALL LIBRARY SALE!!!), laws being passed, funding for the library….
My hubby text me when I was gone saying *are you almost done with the meeting? Waiting to eat dinner with you.” and I text back….. “It’s not over yet and it is so interesting.*
Right now I don’t know my role in the group and that was a bit hard for me. I like to know my purpose. I figure maybe I am just over eager to get involved and so I stayed quiet except for a couple of discussions and figure I will see how it goes this summer. I signed up to help with an author event in July and there are a few I would like to attend as well so I figure if I make myself present….. maybe they will see I am committed. 😀
On another completely random note…. (I do like randomness….) I had a review published in our Her Voice magazine which is kind of exciting. This one was a specific review they asked me to write for the author, however they have asked if I would do a holiday themed review for their winter edition that would appeal to women (my choice SQQQUUEEE!!!) , copyright due in September. I am so excited about this and you can believe I will have my eyes open at BEA for just the book….. (I am also open to suggestions here :D)
My Her Voice article on the book Pain To Peace by Pat Bluth (I am page 46… I could not link to the exact page)
Have an awesome day everyone. I am working then going to group power, then kickboxing tonight. I have a pretty full day which bums me out a little as I see the sun is out and it is calling me to get on my bike….. but maybe tomorrow….
Book Journey 
Congrats on the magazine review Sheila! I popped over and read it — sounds like a very good book 🙂
Thanks Kim…. 😀
Good for you! I am glad you decided to get involved with your local Friends group and hope you enjoy it. At my library, Friends members help with the book sale and get to have first dibs on purchases (there is a special Friends of the Library preview sale the day before the book sale is open to public). The Friends are a worthwhile organization and so helpful to the library. My library’s Friends group is making it possible for me to have programming for the adults. Because of them, I was even able to have a winter reading program this year and I can afford to have someone come and do henna tattoos for my Bollywood program next month. Our library doesn’t have much money for programming and the Friends really helps out with this for the kids, teens, and adults among all the other wonderful things they do.
Congratulations on getting your review published! That is exciting!
Christina – we get first dibs too which is exciting… but I think I may be the first member they would have to put limits on….. I love books…. even if I already have them I pick them up for friends who I know would like them… 😛
I have a serious addiction.
Congrats on the magazine, Sheila!
And glad you’re enjoying your first days in Friends of the Library. 😀
Its different than what I thought but I am learning 😀
I mean the Friends Of The Library… not the review…. LOL (well… maybe the review too…. :razz:)
Yeah, I had that figured out. 😛
Congrats, Sheila! And it sounds like you have discovered another place to put all that excess energy! LOL
I’m popping over for the magazine read, now.
Have a great day.
I am hoping I can participate in keeping our library active, and its fun to learn about how they do things 😀
Glad to hear you’re getting involved with the Friends of the Library. When we lived in CT, I helped revive the Friends group for the public library and was pres. for two years. We had a killer book sale. My big problem was the difficulty in getting volunteers for our projects. Here I joined the Friends of the Binghamton Univ. Libraries and helped out at the book sale and the small year-round book store we ran. It’s very fulfilling to get books into new homes.
I really like that too Barbara… getting books into the hands of readers and potential readers is exciting 😀
wow your name in print in a publication!!! such a high…i hope you frameit!
volunteering is wonderful…i can’t do friends due to conflicts with my work schedule….
congrats again!
I am happy to read here Diana that there are Friends Of The Library everywhere…. I wasnt sure if it was something this library created or not but how cool that it is everywhere 😀
How fun, Sheila! And don’t worry–I am sure you will know your purpose soon. I will stay tuned with this–perhaps volunteering of befriending the library would be something I might like to do…..
I hope so Julie 😀 I am going to help host an author on July 18th… that will be fun 😀
That’s so awesome. Our Friends of the Library sale was last weekend. I had so much fun! 2 dollars for 4 books! You can’t beat it 🙂
I love that too Meg! We had our in early April and there will be another one in early August. It will be fin to see how they get the books in, process them, etc….
That was a lovely review, Sheila…and…I loved your new photo!!!
Thanks Patty 🙂
Sheila, I was pleasantly surprised when I was reading HER VOICE today and read your article. 🙂
I can’t wait to read your next article.
Hoping to make it to the Library FALL SALE this year. 🙂
I hope you are having a GREAT AWESOME BLESSED DAY!
Thank you Millie. I am having a really good day – 😛
Thank you for being a Friend of the Library! We can never have too many; there are so many forces in this world trying to decrease our budgets or shut us down. (Clearly I have no affiliation with your local library but we’re all one community.)
Thanks Julia 😀 You are right – no matter where we are we are all fighting for literacy and for funds to keep the programs rolling in.. 🙂
Well done on your review being in Her Voice magazine and for the upcoming hoiiday-themed review 🙂
Thanks Nikki- Ann… it will be fun to choose the next book 😀
You exhaust me…I don’t know how you do everything!
LOL Jill …. I crash about one day a week and do NOTHING.
Wow, congratulations Sheila (on both counts). Very exciting.
Thank you Bonnie 🙂 I appreciate that.
I went over and read your review. What a great piece! How great to see your writing in print. You should be very proud of yourself. 🙂
Congrats on becoming a Friend of the Library!
Thanks Michelle 😀 It wasnt the easiest review to write as I am pretty close to the story…. but I am glad I did it and glad that Pat trusted me with it.
I’ve often thought of joining the FOTL too…I just may! and congrats on the review 😀
You should Staci – it would be fun to hear how different libraries utilize this group. 😀
You were a friend of the library before you officially joined. I know you’re going to be a great asset to them.
Ahhhh….. thank you Kathy 😀
I’ve often thought of joining the Friends of the Library for my local public library. I’m already a librarian at a university library, though, so I didn’t know if it would be overkill or if they’d feel like I was different since I work in a library. I’m interest to hear how that goes for you!
It isn’t much of a commitment yet…. a monthly meeting.. a chance to hang out and help with an author event…. we shall see…:D
That is so great that you’re getting published!!! Very cool. And congrats on becoming a Friend of the library. 🙂 I know our library relies heavily on support from our Friends and all they do to help us out and support us. Thanks! 😀