The Board of Library Commissioners, the governing body for all of the libraries in Los Angeles, recently met at the West Valley Regional Library. It was a good opportunity to observe their meeting and to interact with both Commissioners and staff. Each public body provides an opportunity for members of the public to address the group on any subject. I always seem to have a few words to share. This time I brought two gifts.
The first gift was a 90-year-old book, Due Process of Law, that had been donated by Mary Van Houten. In the last newsletter we recognized the monetary and book contributions of the BUM 1998 Trust that Mary was part of. After checking the value of the book, we asked Central Librarian Anne Conner if she might be interested in keeping the book as part of the Central Library collection. She was very happy to have the addition as Central did not have a copy of it.
The second gift was a $20,000 check for books and materials for Platt Library. It is the Friends annual contribution to supplement the budget provided by the City. The funds will be used for books, magazines, CD's, and DVD's to enhance the Platt collection.
These two gifts brought to mind the many gifts the Friends are providing to the community in 2007–08 thanks to your generosity, such as:
$5,000 for three new Children's Path computers.
$6,000 for Books For Babies kits for each baby born at West Hills Hospital.
$2,600 for programs planned by library staff, such as authors, musical groups, and children's programs.
$3,000 to triple the number of Hot Off the Press book titles available each month.
100-plus volunteers to read to children (GAB), enhance literacy, work with the books, staff the bookstore, and serve on the Friends board.
Programs planned by Friends volunteers, such as LA Opera Talks, ballot issues reviews, and authors.
Thank you for making it possible to provide such a wealth of gifts to the Platt community!
Our deep thanks to —
Sue Strickland for arranging historian and author Anthony Arthur's fascinating presentation.
Carol Roseman for her creativity in publicizing the library events to the community.
Bella Cho of the LAPD for bringing in needed boxes for sorting the donated books.
Millie Berger and the crew of MANY volunteers who created the wonderful gifts for the Children's Boutique.
Ruth Bromund for planning and arranging the wonderful display at the West Hills Fall Fest—despite the wind! And thanks to the other folks who greeted the public there.
Annie Haas for trying mightily to arrange a trip to the Getty Villa.
Frona DeCovnick for initiating the LA Opera Talks series at Platt.
Ethel Margolin for being the super, super Entertainment Book salesperson.
The Friends of the Platt Library Newsletter is produced and maintained by Hearn/Perrell Art Associates. Editor: Therese Hearn
Artwork, photos and information are copyrighted by their respective Authors, the
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