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 Annual General Meeting of the Friends was held on Friday 25 September 2009 at Port Macquarie Library. Office bearers for 2010 are Judith Hansen, president, Kay Barman, secretary and Committee members, Karen Gurton, Chris Hart, Marj Page and Jan Warrington. Reports were received from the President and Friends activities such as, book group, book sales and Bookstart. The Friends recently celebrated their 20th anniversary with a lunch.
Next Meeting
The next meeting will be the Christmas lunch on Friday 27 November 2009 at 12.00 noon at Port Macquarie Library Meeting Room. The theme is a caring, sharing Christmas and Friends are asked to bring a wrapped gift suitable for a woman. All gifts will be donated to the local women's refuge. The lunch will be self catered. If attending you need to bring a plate to share. Phone Jan Warrington on 6582 3921 to RSVP or for further details.
Drinks with Di (Morrissey)
The Friends will host a special evening with best-selling Australian female author Di Morrissey on Thursday 5 November 2009 at 6.00pm at Port Macquarie Library. Cost is $10 adults and $8 seniors and includes refreshments and finger foods. Bookings are essential. Phone 6581 8755 during office hours to book a place. Places are limited.
Friends Seminar
The Friends recently held a seminar in conjunction with their hosting the Friends of Libraries Australia (FOLA) Annual General Meeting. These were held on Thursday 27 August 2009 and both events were well attended. Speakers at the seminar included Daniel Ferguson, FOLA Executive Director and Friends from Port Macquarie and Great Lakes Libraries.
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 planned.
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 2009 morning tea raised $261.35.
Souper Sounds
In the tradition of "souper stories", "souper travel stories", "souper sonnets", "souper scenes" the Friends hosted "souper sounds" on Wednesday 15 July 2009 at Port Macquarie Library. The evening was a great success raising $910 for Bookstart.
A special thank you to our talented musicians Hifalootin' flute choir, 'elby' and Three's Company, who all contributed their talent and time free of charge and also to our band of willing volunteers who provided their usual sumptuous soups and delicious desserts.
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 3,000 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.
Book Group
Book Group is held in the meeting room at Port Macquarie Library on the first Tuesday of each month from 1.30 to 4.00pm. 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. The December meeting is our Christmas lunch.
Calendar Dates for 2010
The first FOPML meeting for 2010 will be Friday, 9th January 2010.
The first meeting of the Book group will be Tuesday, 2nd February 2010.
The topic is "A book with a colour in the title."
