Several years ago the Minneapolis Public Library system merged with the Hennepin County Library system. It was a very sad thing to see happen but it kept all of the city libraries open even if some of them had abysmal hours. The merger wasn’t without pain but what merger isn’t? Minneapolis had a Friends of the library organization that worked for all the of the libraries and the county had individual library Friends groups. The Minneapolis Friends became the the Hennepin County Library Foundation after the merger and expanded its scope to cover all of the county libraries. However, the individual Friends groups in the ‘burbs continued on as a sort of subsidiary of the Library Foundation. Now, the Library Foundation is helping the individual branch libraries in Minneapolis start their own Friends groups.
Last night was the first meeting for my branch library so of course Bookman and I had to go. The turnout was great but the meeting was a long and drawn out affair that meandered all over the place and never made it to the end of the agenda. The meeting was led by a nice young man from the Library Foundation who clearly lacks experience in leading these sorts of meetings and hasn’t a clue about how to keep people on track. If he knew what he was doing I wouldn’t have had to sit through 20 minutes about if, how and when our group would get its own checking account. We don’t even have a board of directors yet, so why a checking account was so important I just don’t know.
But after an hour and a half it was pretty clear which people in the room I hope decide they want to be on the board. Bookman and I do not want to be on the board. We want to be involved but not in charge. Maybe someday, but neither of us have the time right now.
So our group will meet again sometime in February. Our library branch has been closed for over a year for renovations and is set to re-open sometime in spring. We have a grand opening to plan and solicit local business donations for as well as marketing and membership drives to conduct. I just hope that the next meeting is a little more on task and fruitful.
On another note, if you haven’t seen it already, be sure to peruse the article What Went Wrong at Borders at the Atlantic for an interesting and balanced analysis of why Borders Books is in dire straits.
Now this is exactly what we need in a city where libraries are being threatened left, right and centre (although possibly with a somewhat tighter grip on agenda). I haven’t come across anything similar in the library system, although a number of our arts organisations run them. I shall bring this up with the local librarians the next time I see them, i.e. later today. (Heaven forfend that a day should pass when I don’t go into the library!) Thank you for a wonderful idea.
Annie, you don’t have friends of the library groups where you are? Maybe it is a U.S. thing? Friends members get a newsletter and discounts at a number of local businesses. But the main reason to be a friend is to support the library. The group’s job is to work with the head of the library branch to fundraise for things that the library needs but doesn’t have the budget to purchase. We get to do things like organize book sales
One clarification: the HCL Foundation existed for many years before the merger. The Foundation and Mpls Friends also merged several months later. Many efforts supported by the Mpls Friends continue including the Central bookstore, the Talk of the Stacks author program and more. http://www.supporthclib.org/
Thanks for the clarification Glenn!
This sounds like an excellent idea, but I am so sorry that your chairperson is so dawdling. I used to break land speed records if I had to chair a meeting, because meetings (to me at least) are so deadly the only way to get through them is fast.
But hopefully lots of very good things will come out of your group and your library will have a splendid relaunch.
Litlove, I’m with you on fast meetings! The current chair will only be with us until we elect a board and get all our ducks in a row. I’m not sure how long it will take since I’ve never been involved in anything like this. Once we get going it will hopefully get better.
It’s on my list to get involved with our local library, or the Friends of the Library group. We have a really beautiful library and I want to make sure it stays vibrant!
Oh, public meetings. I’m amazed when they go well. But still, being involved with the Friends of the Library group sounds great. I volunteered for my group a while back and should do it again. It’s fun to be involved.
No, it’s not just a US thing – Friends groups are pretty common here in libraries, museums, galleries. Not all public libraries have them – but some do. Most if not all of the bigger state and national institutions do. I am secretary of the Friends of my old org and we are working hard to build bridges as the org has gone through a lot of change and the original Friends group was always, let us say, friendly! Sometimes I think, why am I doing this.
BTW, thanks for the Borders article. Very interesting. They opened up here too, but were sold to an Australian/New Zealand company in 2008 so are now a separate business.
Good for you for being involved in your public library. I’ve belonged to the Friends in the past (but only as a financial sort of thing–donating money not time), though in the last couple of years I’ve let things go lax. Hopefully the meetings will be more organized in the future! And thanks for the Borders link–maybe I had better use my Borders gift cards soon!
I need to get involved with the library – just how do I find the time! I’m concerned right now because apparently there’s a new budget in place where state funding for libraries would be practically nothing. There’s just something seriously wrong with that!
Thank you for the Atlantic link to the Borders article. I’ve been hearing a lot about Border’s imminent demise and I’m so bummed out. I love the indie bookstores but I also love the big ones. We have two Borders near our house which we go to all the time and I can’t imagine them being gone. I hope not.
I hope for your sakes the next meeting will be more productive! I appreciated the link to the article about what happened to Borders. I’ve read a lot of press but nothing like this article that really lays out everything in a step by step fashion.
Daphne, get involved with your library and have fun!
Dorothy, public meetings are an interesting beast, aren’t they? It will be fun to be involved with the Friends group for my branch library even if the meetings end up being long
whisperinggums, it is good to know that freinds groups are an international thing. Wouldn’t it be cool to have an internation friends of the library conference or meet up or something? I think it is wonderful that you have remained active with your friends group in spite of the changes. I hope it all works out. And I am glad you found the Borders article interesting.
Danielle, Bookman and I have been members of the friends for many years now but we have never done anything beyond the financial support so this will be something new and hopefully fun! You probably don’t have to rush to use your Borders gift cards, at least not yet.
Iliana, libraries are getting battered in all the budget cutting. I’m sure they would love to have you involved
Glad you found the Border article interesting. Hopefully they will be able to turn the business around.
Kathleen, thanks! My fingers are crossed. Glad you found the Borders article useful. It is one of the best I’ve come across in explaining just what is going on.
My Friends group belongs to AFFM which is a member of WFFM (World Federation of Friends of Museums). We are more archive than museum but they’re not fussy – at least the Australian Federation isn’t. WFFM has conferences – the next one will be in Genoa, Italy but I don’t think I’ll be there! We can dream though … Meanwhile, I wonder if there is a specific one for Library Friends?
I wouldn’t mind going to Genoa for a conference! Library Friends of the world unite! Maybe that is too much to hope for, but it is a nice thought.