Click Here for our easy to print membership form and support the Friends and our library.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING A FRIEND
The Friends of the Fairhaven Library was formed in 1992 when cutbacks in the city budget led to a decision to close the Fairhaven Library. A grassroots movement of local citizens organized and successfully fought to keep the library in existence.
The Friends of the Fairhaven Library have remained active ever since to provide financial assistance and to volunteer support for this valuable resource to our community. Our mission is to promote the visibility and utilization of the Fairhaven Library both for learning and as a community meeting place.
Participation with the Friends is as important now as it was in 1992. The budget of the City of Bellingham is again in a period of severe stress and no one should take for granted that our library will continue in operation without the strong support and vigilance of the Fairhaven community.
2004 marks the centennial of both the City of Bellingham, and the Fairhaven Library. The library is intimately connected to the quality of life that we are celebrating. There have been over 60,000 visits to the Fairhaven library so far this year and the checkout of materials has increased by 10%.
If you are currently a Friend, please renew your membership. If you're not yet a member, please join. Then take a look at the article on the next page for the many ways you can get involved.HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST YEAR
The thrid annual summer reading kickoff party was a great success. The theme this year was Dragons, Demons & Daring Deeds and included music by Scrub Hubner, storytelling with Tami Gorman of the Nooksak Tribe and a magic show by Scott Olcheltree, plus crafts, games and refreshments. The Friends provided financial support for this event as well as volunteers.
WAYS TO HELP YOUR LIBRARY
If you are already a Friend – renew your membership. If you're not yet a member - join. The annual dues are modest and yet the benefit to your library is great. Please fill out the form below and return it today.
Save your receipts from the Fairhaven Market and drop them off at the Fairhaven Library. The Fairhaven Market generously donates 1% on all your purchases there. So far this year library patrons have brought in over $50,000 in receipts providing us with $500 for our operating budget. This is a painless way to support the library so be sure to save your Fairhaven Market receipts and bring them in to the library.
Buy a Friends Bookmark to help celebrate our library's Centennial. They're made of fine leather with gold embossing and come in 5 different colors – you can buy one for each reader in your family. At only $4 they make a thoughtful holiday stocking stuffer for all the readers on your shopping list. Our popular canvas book bags are still available at only $7. Both are can be purchased at the front desk of the library.
Remember someone with a gift donation or a memorial donation in the name of a loved one. Every single dollar given to The Friends goes right back into the library. So special donations have a big impact on the entire community.
Get involved - attend our meetings. They are held on the 2nd Monday of every month at 4 PM. (Please note that this is a new day and a new time). The meetings are held in the NW room at the library. We would love to hear ideas for how the Friends can enhance the library experience for children, teens, seniors and everyone in-between. In particular we need people who are interested in working on our centennial celebration and on providing content for our newly revised web site.
Take advantage of the Nearly New Book Sale. There is a display case in the library that has a select group of books in great condition. They're for sale all year long, but they make great holiday gifts. Sales of these books make up 20% of the annual expenses of the Friends. If you want to contribute books to sell, you can drop them off at the main branch of the Bellingham Library.OFFICERS FOR 2005/6
Faye Hill is president, Marilyn Olsen is Secretary, and Claude Hill is Treasurer.
Gale Helgoe, Assistant Library Director, has been attending our meetings and acting in an advisory capacity.
NEW PROJECTS FOR 2004
This year the Friends plan to research and apply for historical preservation grants that will provide funds to enhance and upgrade the physical aspects of the library. If you have experience in writing grant applications please consider joining this effort.
Plans are underway to enhance the exterior lighting, in particular to highlight the sign on the south-facing wall.
The Friends will again be assisting and funding the summer reading party kickoff as well as the annual party in December 2004, which will be the Centennial Birthday of the Fairhaven Library.
Leather bookmarks commemorating the Centennial will be for sale throughout the year. The proceeds will fund future Friends' projects.
If you would like to propose a project for next year, please send an e-mail or give us a call to share your ideas.SPECIAL THANKS
Please give your patronage to the following local merchants who have been so generous with their contributions to Fairhaven Library Events. These are businesses who truly support their community:
Fairhaven Hardware
Joe's Market
Bellingham Grocery Outlet
The Fairhaven Market
Kent's Nursery
The Community Food Co-op
Food Pavilion
Old Country Buffet
Cost Cutters
Haggen
Stanello's
Village Books
Albertsons
Thank you to the following Friends for their significant financial support:
Bellingham Scottish Country Dancers, Mary Bolter, Betty Brannian, Karen Durham, Fairhaven Alumni Association, Robert Gibb, Dorothy Gonsalves, Regina Juvet, Rudy Sepich, John Starr, and Sheri Ward.And finally a special thank you to Donna Grasdock, the Librarian Specialist of the Fairhaven Library, for her dedication and support.
COMMUNICATING WITH THE FRIENDS
To contact us by phone, call our President, Faye Hill at (360) 734-8098
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You can also reach the Friends by e-mail at Friends@FairhavenLibraryFriends.org.
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We are currently in the process of sprucing up our web site. If you have ideas or want to help, please get in touch. You don't even need to be technical – we could use folks who just love to write.BECOME A FRIEND OF THE FAIRHAVEN LIBRARY
Click Here for our easy to print membership form.