Bega Valley Friends of the Libraries, Inc.

2009 Newsletter

 Posted 13 January 2010

 Newsletter:  Happenings in 2009

1.  Feb 10:  Fiona Firth (our president until AGM July) and Jenny Brookes (our secretary until AGM July) addressed the new BVSCouncil at a forum, held to introduce the new members to council business and the voters' concerns. Fiona showed council the children's library books purchased with $1000 that we donated.  She demonstrated that a sum of money like that does not buy a huge amount of books and advocated support for children's library services. 

Jenny discussed the possibility that the libraries could work on somewhat different hours, such as staying open one evening per week. 

From this has come the Bega Library Thursdays, for which the library stays open two hours longer from hour 5-7 pm.  This later opening has become popular, especially as the library often has a special speaker or demonstration to draw people in.  An experiment was also tried in Bermagui, when that library stayed open on Tuesday evenings from 5-7 pm supported by Jenny in many ways, especially the programming.  Both late openings were to be 3-month trials.  The Bega trial has been extended into 2010, while the Bermagui trial ended in November but is being reconsidered after a survey was conducted in that branch. (Results not available yet.)  Our thanks to Fiona and Jenny for raising these issues at such an opportune time.

2. Also in early February, the first Audio Navigators were made available for people with low vision to borrow from the Merimbula branch.  The Friends worked with librarian Dee Selorio to demonstrate the device to potential borrowers.  Most borrowers seemed reluctant to try the new electronic device, which is about the size of an MP3 player but with large easy-to-see buttons.  Then a borrower with good vision used his own card to get one device for a loan to a person with low vision in a local nursing home. After that, the audio navigators have been borrowed by a number of library patrons.  They are now also available from the Bega Library, with Eden and Bermagui planned to follow soon.

We were given the chance to prepare a design for bookmarks to be handed out at the library branches as a ‘freebie’ to borrowers and a boost for us.  Our thanks go to Jenny for the idea and to Friend Jean Gradwell who did the needed work on a version of the design used at the top of this letter.  The bookmarks looked great!  They were all soon given out -- we hope they are still in use today.  Library Manager Penny Amberg kindly donated the printing costs.

3.  The Friends' Annual General Meeting was held in July. Two office-holders decided to step down:  Fiona after 5 years as president and Jenny, who accepted the secretary title on the understanding that she would hold it one year only. Alison Sandwith resigned as treasurer but accepted the post of public officer.  Gordon Watson was elected as treasurer.  Margaret McFadden agreed to shadow the vice-president role but felt unwilling to accept full responsibility without a president in the chair.

4.  The Friends celebrated National Book Week (NBW, Aug 22-29 in Bega Valley Shire) in good style.  Active Friends in Eden staged the first event for NBW.  Utilizing part of the volunteer-run store, 'Arts on Imlay', they presented crafts, craft makers, and craft books (these last from the Bega Valley Library system).  Friend Angela Midlam located a number of interesting craft books in the library catalogue and organized them for the Eden date, while Friends Celia Hannan, Beryl Gamble and June Whalley contributed brains, muscle and gentle persuasion to make the day a success.

The next NBW event occurred in Bega, where Friend Venie Holmgren brought her favourite books to the library and talked about them and their influence on her writing.  This was a chance for booklovers to see some out-of-print books and to talk about their authors. This kind of discussion is relatively infrequent in our shire and was much appreciated by the participants.

Barry Heard is a Bairnsdale author who has written several award-winning books. He spoke to attentive audiences about his experiences which led to his writing.  The talks occurred in two locations: Eden Library on Aug. 28 and Pambula SLSC the next day. 

Also at the Pambula SLSC on the 29th were Michael Janssen-Gibson who spoke to teens and parents about important books to read before reaching 20, followed by Jean Pollock discussing ways to recycle kitchen scraps.  Children created craft articles from recycled household items, such as paper plates and plastic bottles.

On that same Saturday, Bermagui Friends and their friends acted with Jenny Brookes to present a program in Bermagui at the library and community hall. Jim Shepherd brought in the crowd with his stories about 'The Phantom' comics, of which he had been the publisher. Children had stories to listen to and crafts to make.  The program ended early due to smoke in the air and worries about active nearby bush fires.

5.  One local author, Gabrielle Stroud, was unable to speak during NBW but gave a talk in the Bega Library at the end of September.  She talked about her first book 'Measuring Up' and described what it takes to write a book-length manuscript while working as a teacher and being newly married. Her book, meant for older teens, is her first effort.  We can predict that more will follow, especially as this one is very popular with her readers.

6.  Teddy Bears' Picnic in October was Jenny's brainwave.  She has done so much for our organization!  Originally meant as a get-together in Bermagui for all us Friends, it morphed into a picnic for very young people and their bear friends.  Ably run by Jenny (desk) and Kerry (MC), the picnic activities involved bears doing marching, singing, a parachute 'flight', and even a competition for the furriest, the biggest/smallest, the one with the most original name.  FOTL member Venie Holmgren won the accolade for the smallest bear when she showed the tiny friend she has had for many years.

7.  On request from Penny Amberg, the Friends applied for, and received, a grant of $1500 from the Mumbulla Foundation. This money was used to purchase a Wii wand, software and monitor for the Eden Library.  The new equipment will be attractive to teens and will provide something new to do at the library.  (The Bega Library already has similar equipment and has found that teens like it particularly.

Dates for your 2010 calendar:

March 13          Seaside Fair in Bermagui. 

March 20          Fundraiser at the Tathra Golf Club:

                          Admission: $10.00 each;

                          For more information,

Please note that a small group of Friends are already looking forward to National Book Week, 21-27 August, 2010.  This year we hope to have an author who will appeal to book club groups, an author who can bring in male readers, and an author who can talk to parents about the importance of reading and/or demonstrate by reading to young children.  The Children’s Book Council theme is ‘Across the story bridge’. It will be fun!

We will also think about appropriate speakers who may come to one or more libraries to speak at other times of the year – depending on their availability and our budget!  You will hear more when the plans take better shape.

Best wishes to everyone --

Helen Watson, member