CE Snapshots

3rd NMRLS Area Joint Friends Meeting
Hamilton-Wenham, January 27, 2007

Peter Pearson, President of the Friends of the St. Paul (MN) Public Library, was our guest speaker for the 3rd Joint Friends Meeting. The topic, "Friends and Foundations" attracted an audience of 25 Friends, trustees, and library administrators from 12 NMRLS public libraries. Peter provided the group with a "Five-Minute Course on Library Fundraising," plus information about when to fundraise. The St. Paul model blends the Friends and the Library Foundation into one organization. At the end of each calendar year, the St. Paul Public Library administration provides the Foundation with its priorities for the coming year, and the Foundation provides the funds.

Maureen Killoran and Brian Donoghue of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners spoke about statewide resources available for Friends. Mary Rose Quinn, Director of the Saugus Public Library, presented the history of the Saugus Library Foundation. The Saugus model is a separate entity from the Friends organization.

Participants had lots of questions about how and when to start a library foundation, raising money, and Massachusetts laws governing foundations. Can foundations and Friends live side by side? Yes!

Thank you to Peter, Maureen, Brian, Mary Rose, and the Hamilton-Wenham Friends and staff!

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Continuing Education Coming in February!

Brown Bag Discussion: Space Redesign on a Shoestring
February 28, 2007, 12:00-2:00, at NMRLS

Is your library cramped? Do you need to discover new spaces for your programs and services? Join us to discuss inexpensive remodeling, makeover, and trading spaces ideas.

We'll have public and academic library representatives present to tell us about their redesign projects.

Register at: http://www.nmrls.org/ce/ceformnew.htm

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NMRLS Inclement Weather Policy

Workshop cancellations due to inclement weather: If the public schools close in the city or town where a workshop is to be held, the workshop will be cancelled. A message will be placed on the NMRLS voicemail system, homepage, and listserv by 7:30 a.m. the morning of the workshop. If a workshop is cancelled before the date it was to be held, NMRLS will make every effort to contact the registered members.