Who are the Friends of the Library?
Friends of the Library (FOPHL) is a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting the public library system. The Friends are people who know that a community with a first-rate library is a better place to live. Friends of the Library bring together involved, caring people who are willing to work for excellent libraries.
The purpose of the Friends of the Library
- To maintain an association of people interested in books and libraries
- To promote the use of Port Macquarie-Hastings Library Services and appreciation of its value as an asset to the community.
- To encourage and support the extension and improvement of library services in the Hastings.
- To support the freedom to read, and access to free information for all.
How to join Friends of the Library
Contact your local library branch, see Contact Details.
Last Meeting
The last meeting of the Friends was held on Friday 27 March 2009 at Port Macquarie Library. Plans for a number of events during the year were discussed including the Friends 20th Anniversary and the hosting of Friends of Libraries Australia, Annual General Meeting on Thursday 27 August 2009.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be held on Friday 29 May 2009 at 1.30pm at Port Macquarie Library Meeting Room.
Literary Lunch
The Friends hosted their second literary lunch on Friday 5 September 2008 featuring Jane Gleeson-White speaking on Australian Classics. Jane, a freelance book editor, writer, reviewer gave an interesting and entertaining talk about Australian Classics, the title of her second book over lunch.
A literary lunch for 2009 is not yet scheduled.
Australia's Biggest Morning Tea
Each year the Friends hold a Mad Hatter's Tea Party to help raise money for the Cancer Council. The 2008 morning tea raised $377.00.
This year's Mad Hatter's Tea Party will be held on Wednesday 6 May 2009 at Port Macquarie Library. Come along and support cancer research with the Friends. Wear a funny or elegant hat to be in the running to win a prize.
Souper Scenes
In the tradition of "souper stories", "souper travel stories" and "souper sonnets", in 2008 the Friends hosted "souper scenes", a delicious homemade soup and dessert meal accompanied by scenes from popular Players Theatre productions. Over 100 people attended the evening and over $1300 was raised for the Bookstart Project. A special thank you goes to Players Theatre management and supporters for contributing to and supporting our major fund raiser.
"Souper Sounds" will be held on 15 July 2009, bookings will be necessary. Full details will be available shortly.
Bookshare
The Friends together with Port Macquarie Hastings Library service are pleased to announce a new initiative Bookshare. Bookshare is a new scheme to assist existing and new book groups. Bookshare enables book groups to borrow up to ten copies of selected titles for a one month loan period. Bookshare has ten titles on offer so far, further titles will be added as the scheme is utilised. A list of current available titles can be found on the library blog.
Bookstart Project
Bookstart - Reading for Life was launched in February 2006. Bookstart is a bag containing a quality board book and information on the importance of reading as well as library services information. The bags are being given to all new parents in the Port Macquarie -Hastings area to encourage reading from a young age. Reading to a baby is important because it creates a special bonding time for parent and child and introduces baby to many experiences through stories, songs and rhymes.
To date over 2300 Bookstart bags have been distributed to mothers giving birth at Port Macquarie Base Hospital.
Book Sales
The last Friends book sale was held on 14 April 2009 and raised over @1200 for the Bookstart Project.
The next book sale has not yet been scheduled.
The Friends also keep a book sale trolley well stocked at Port Macquarie Library, so you can always find a great book at a bargain price.
Book donations for our sales are always welcome.
Calendar Dates for 2009
May 6 - Biggest Morning Tea
May 29 - Meeting
July TBA - "Souper Sounds"
August 27 - FOLA AGM
September 25 - Annual General Meeting
November 27 - Christmas Lunch
Other calendar dates will be advised during the year.
Book Group
Book Group is held in the meeting room at Port Macquarie Library on the first Tuesday of each month from 1.30pm. The Group reads to a set topic or book. The Group aims to read from the Library's collection, explore genres and topics they would not normally read, present thoughts and ideas to the Group, and enjoy an afternoon with other keen readers.
Dates and topics for 2009 are as follows:
May 5 - The Kite Runner - book in common
June 2 - Portrait of an artist - whose work would you like on your wall?
July 7 - Being crafty - a fiction book with a craft theme
August 4 - Desert island books - talk briefly about the 5 books you would take
September 1 - A year in Provence - book in common
October 6 - Rivers - in, on or about
November 3 - Cashing in on Christmas - fiction by authors writing out of genre
