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I hope this edition of our newsletter finds all of you staying healthy and safe during this unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic. It’s hard to fathom how much things have changed in the last few weeks, but in spite of these rapid changes, we need to find things to laugh about, to be inspired by, and to maintain our sense of community while social distancing.
The Friends of the Tualatin Library are trying to look ahead where we can, to plan for our future and continue to advocate for and support the Tualatin Library. Here are a couple of examples of the ways we are adjusting to the new reality:
- Our social media team has stepped up their efforts to post more frequently on the Friends’ Facebook page. They are trying to educate, inspire, and amuse in equal measures. If you have a Facebook account and haven’t “Liked" the Friends of the Tualatin Public Library, please do, and you’ll be able to see their fun and creative posts. And share them, please! ( https://www.facebook.com/tualatinfriends)
- The big spring book sale at the beginning of May has been canceled. Since it might be fall before we can host another large sale, we have assembled a team to explore different formats of used book sales that we might have once the library reopens, but that will allow more social distancing. We’re also planning to discuss ways to manage donations safely once we are open for business again.
Advocating for the Tualatin Public Library is part of the Friends’ mission statement, so we want to make sure that we share information about the WCCLS Library Levy renewal on the primary mail-in ballot for May 19th. This levy renewal, which is not an increase but rather a continuation of an existing levy (with no increase in rate), provides 40% of the operating budgets for the libraries in the Washington County library system. Needless to say, that is a substantial amount of funding. As Friends and long-time library supporters, you know what an integral part of our community the WCCLS libraries are. The library buildings are closed, but creative library services continue and they will be an incredibly important resource when they re-open and life tries to move back toward “normal.”
In closing, I’d like to thank you for your ongoing support of the Tualatin Public Library. Whether you support the Friends of the Library financially, as a volunteer, or both, we appreciate you and hope to see you again in the future around the library. Take care and stay healthy.
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1)Become a member.
- Individual – $10.00
- Family – $20.00
- Patron – $50.00
- Benefactor – $100.00
- Lifetime – $250.00
- Business – $100.00
- Donation - Any amount
2)Buy reusable bagsBuy books and magazines in our ongoing sales section.
3)Buy books and media at FOL Semi-Annual Sales.
4)Go online on our website to see more options to give: www.friendsoftualatinlibrary.org
When things go back to a "new normal", and the library opens once a again, there will be other ways the community can support Friends. www.friendsoftualatinlibrary.org
We thank you for all your continued support!
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The Ongoing Sales team has been on furlough since March 16th when the library closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. When this volunteer group works in the library, they stock the shelves daily with every sort of book genre and media type and earn $150-200 per week, with most items selling in the $1-2 range. The January 2020 average was $171 per week and February 2020 was $201, and featured mysteries, biographies, and DVD TV Series, which were a big hit.
Payment for purchases is strictly on the honor system and is put in a locked box on the shelves. Over the years, volunteers have found some of the following items put in the box as “payment:” coins from 11 different countries including France, Australia, and Guatemala; car wash tokens; guitar picks; Tums antacids; a Scrabble tile (letter S); and a key chain. At the moment, our Amazon Marketplace is closed because we can’t access our inventory in the library. However, we’re looking forward to getting back online as soon as we can. - Laura Baker
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What are some of your top-shelf, can't put it down, have to read at least once in a life-time favorites? Here is a list of 'must have' books some members suggested for your consideration. Here are some excerpts:
Some of my favorites:
" Jane Eyre" By Charlotte Bronte
"The Power of One" by Bryce Courtney— South African small boy grows up
"Centennial" by James Michener— early America
"The One-in-a Million Boy" by Monica Wood— charming!
Don recommends "Cleopatra" by Stacy Schiff , a nonfiction book - well written by a woman about a powerful woman in history. - Dee Sitko
A novella, "A Christmas Carol", by Charles Dickens. According to Wikipedia, his works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the 20th century, critics and scholars had recognized him as a literary genius. - Cheyenne
"I have kind of a short list of books, this is what I have read:
“Prisoners of Geography” by Tim Marshall, a non-fiction;
“The 7 Dials Mystery”, Agatha Christie;
“The Tale Teller” Anne Hillerman;
“Mysterious West”, short stories written by various authors and compiled by Tony Hillerman. - Eleanore Mickus
While the Library is closed, due to Covid-19, you can go online to order ebooks of all these mentioned classics. What a good time to hold virtual book clubs!
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Gwen Martin reported, at the last Board meeting, that Friends sold 540 items online in 2019, grossing $7,467.07.
The total units sold last quarter was 75, mostly soft-bound books.
Genres were the usual mix of crafts, biography, politics, self-help, educational texts, science, history, religion, military, finance, and computers.
Total gross sales for January/February added up to $1154.23
One customer's comment:
"Very fast shipping and affordable price. Product was very well-preserved and exactly as described.Manual, game disc, & case were all included and in clean condition. Disc has no noticeable scratches and plays perfectly so far. Thank you!"
At the moment, our Amazon Marketplace is closed because we can’t access our inventory in the library. However, we’re looking forward to getting back online as soon as we can.
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Recently, I asked Steve and Jill Tanner to share their Friends story.
Q: Can you give me a brief bio on yourselves?
A: Steve and I are now retired. Steve enjoyed his federal government career, supporting the Bonneville Power electric transmission grid, and I worked in both the private and public sectors; ending my professional career at the Oregon Judicial Department.
Q: Can you explain what it is you do for Friends?
A: You can find us in the Library workroom processing donations and assisting with bi-annual book and media sales. We are involved in scanning and sorting book donations. Book donations are first scanned for third party recycling and then culled for sale on Amazon. Amazon sales fund Library programs. Books that are not wanted by a third-party recycler, and not listed for sale on Amazon are sorted by genre. Those books are offered for sale on the ongoing book sale shelf in the Library lobby or are stored until one of the two public book sales held usually in May and November.
Q: What does being a volunteer mean to you?
A: How can people get involved? Friends of Tualatin Public Library is a fun volunteer group devoted to finding new homes for previously owned books and funding Tualatin Public Library programs for all ages. Friends share a commitment to the Library and work as a team. It's easy to get involved in Friends. An individual can help with the annual book sales or commit to a long-term volunteer task, spending as many hours as fit his or her own personal schedule.
They love to travel (in ordinary times), but when they are in town, they are tireless in tidying up our workroom and getting ahead for the next donation. We appreciate them so much! - Dee Sitko
When the library reopens, why not stop in and say hello?
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Rachel A Halvorson William Cohen
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“Remember that the happiest people are not those getting more,
but those giving more.”
― H. Jackson Brown Jr.
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