Advocate!

Three of us from the Foundation Board met yesterday with Brian Reynolds and each of San Luis Obispo County's five elected supervisors.  We were impressed with the interest and support of libraries expressed by all of the supervisors, and delighted with this opportunity to talk with them about the future of our libraries.  More new ideas than we expected emerged from the conversations -- be assured: they've been thinking about libraries! -- and we're looking forward to finding ways to implement many of them.  Stay tuned, and ask how you can help!

Collaborate!

The Board of Directors of the Foundation for San Luis Obispo County Public Libraries welcomes new Directors Susan Gillespie (Nipomo) and Anne Harris (Atascadero), who join the Board as representatives of their respective Friends of the Library.  Thanks to the Atascadero and Nipomo Friends for responding to our invitation with such distinguished nominees!  We're delighted to have them join the Board, and look forward to adding members from other Friends groups very soon, to strengthen our joint countywide library-literacy advocacy efforts.

Our Busy Library Community

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES  

(Click LINKS at right for more info)

Countywide

   "Food for fines" week ends Saturday April 16^Th!

Atascadero and Nipomo

   Silent Auctions monthly at the libraries

Atascadero FOL

Saturday, April 30^th, 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM
   Central Coast Children's Classic, Portola Inn, Atascadero
   Tickets at the library, or call (805) 462-9221
Saturday, May 7^th, 10 AM to 2 PM
   Secret Gardens Tour, San Marcos Ridge, Atascadero
   Tickets at the library, or call (805) 461-1755

Cambria FOL

Friday, May 6, 4pm to 6:30pm
Saturday, May 7, 9am to 2pm
Book sale

Los Osos FOL

Saturday, April 23

   Easter Egg Hunt at the Community Center - Storytime provided by the library

Thursday, April 28

   Celebrate National Poetry Month with "Poets on the Edge" 

   Featured Poets at 6:30. Open Mic at 7:30.

Morro Bay FOL

Saturday, May 14

   Book Sale

Paso Robles

Wednesday, May 4, 3:00pm-6:00pm

    Entries due for BrushMarks juried art exhibit for North County Teens

    Winners will be displayed in the Library during May.

Literacy Council

Saturday June 4, 7pm

   Wine, Wit and Words: A FUNd-raising  Spellling Bee for Grown-Ups

   Monday Club, San Luis Obispo

Task Force Report

In case you've not yet seen the report of the joint Friends-Foundation-Literacy Task Force that met recently to tackle our collective response to the state's library budget crisis, here's a quick summary.  (Some of you saw the report at the March 29 Friends Presidents Council meeting, but several were not able to attend. I've also emailed it to all the Friends presidents and to the Literacy Council.)
    The Task Force (which included four FOL presidents/past presidents) came up with four key suggestions for collaboration among those of us in San Luis Obispo County who love our libraries:
    (1)  Mount a public relations campaign to promote libraries widely in the community.
    (2)  Select, from a proposed list, a few short "slogans" we can use to promote libraries. 
    (3)  Develop a program of "Information Literacy" as a vehicle to expand library outreach.
    (4)  Bring representatives from each Friends group and the Literacy Council onto the Foundation Board to facilitate greater collaboration.
    How can we work together to save our libraries?

Thanks Pat, Kim, Susan, Jeri, Nan, and welcome aboard!  This modest little page may grow as we find our way around and begin to share what's going on at our branches and countywide.  I look forward to seeing other names as our colleagues join us.  And don't be shy about bragging up the activities in your corner of the county!
     Most recently, the Friends-Foundation-Literacy "Task Force" we set up at the March Foundation Board meeting has met three times and is drafting suggestions for enhanced collaboration among our groups as we confront the challenges of "what happens next."  We'll have discussions at the Friends Presidents Council meeting on Tuesday 29th and the Foundation Board meeting on Wednesday April 6th.

I think this is a GREAT idea. thanks Bob. Great way to communicate. I have never blogged before so I am no help whatsoever. Great work.

Welcome!

I hope you'll agree with me that it's time for us to get together and share our ideas for the future of support for libraries and literacy in San Luis Obispo County.  The blog seems a natural 21st century venue for that sharing, and I look forward to a lively conversation among Friends, the Foundation, the Literacy Council, library staff and other partners. 
     This blog begins in March 2011, as the governor and legislature are agreeing on painful cuts to library and literacy programs statewide.  Don't let it end there. 
     Eventually, when we figure out how to make this work, we'll add links to the websites of each of our organizations, and to other appropriate resources.  A countywide calendar of library and literacy activities, for example, would let us quickly learn about each others' book sales, author visits, board meetings, trainings, advocacy activities, festivals, . . . 
     If you're an experienced blogger, or if you've never posted before, your help is most welcome.  Please add your comments.  Collaboration is the keyword here!