Friends Winter 2023/2024 electronic newsletter

FRIENDS FOOTNOTES Winter 2023/2024 Friends of the Hall County Library System

Friends of the Hall County Library Award Four Scholarships to Library Staff The Friends have awarded four $500 scholarships to HCLS Staff members who are pursuing a masters in library science or furthering their education in the job they are in at the library. Here are 2023 recipients!

Troy Young Youth Services Gainesville Branch

Hannah Bruce Adult Services Gainesville Branch

Degree in Psychology concentration on children and families

I just began my fourth semester in the Valdosta State MLIS program, and I am so grateful for this opportunity and the encouragement from the Friends of the Library to further my education in the field!

“Thank you to the Friends of the Library for choosing me to receive the scholarship! This amount is going into my upcoming semester to completely cover the rest of my tuition and I can’t express enough the relief this has on me. I’m looking forward in earning my degree and being able to help benefit the library with such degree! “

Mckenzie Baldwin Marketing Gainesville Branch

Masters Library Science

Rachel Buckley Youth Services Spout Springs Branch

Degree in Communications

"I am so grateful for the support from our lovely Friends of the Hall County Library. It is my dream to get my Masters of Library and Information Science, and the friends have time and time again shown continuous support and help to reach this dream. I have already put my scholarship funds to good use purchasing my textbooks for my next semester toward my Bachelor's Degree in Communication with a specialization in Public Relations. Thank you to the Friends for everything you do for our library system and thank you for the opportunity to receive this amazing scholarship fund."

Masters Library Science

Thank you so much to the Friends for their support of myself and the other recipients of this scholarship!

I am in my last semester of schooling for my Masters in Library and Information Science, and this scholarship helped me pay for my final round of tuition. It's so great to be able to do what I love, serve an amazing community, and have the support of both the Friends and my coworkers every step of the way. I am so grateful, and I can't wait to officially be a librarian!

100% of Friends of the Hall County Library System’s membership dues goes towards grants and endeavors such as the scholarship program!

Dark and Stormy Night Ghost Storytelling Fundraiser is another year of frights and success!

The Friends hosted their annual Dark and Stormy Night Ghost Storytelling event to raise funds. The Friends had storyteller Natalie Jones this year tell chilling tales from the South. One of the great tales was about the lost people of Roanoke. Friends member, Gail Hogan, kept the annual tradition of hearing the Lady of the Library tale and the haunting of the Gainesville Library. Diletto’s Bakery catered the event with delicious treats such as cheesecakes, tiramisu, and much more!

Denise Lee and other Friends volunteers decorated the library to make it look like a spooky yet cozy fall cabin. While Friends and volunteers were setting up, a candle popped and went flying ten feet. One guest at intermission complained to staff about a very strong old rose perfume smell coming from a corner of the library. As library staff closed up for the night, several electronic items turned on by themselves. Could the Lady of the Library also been enjoying the Friends’ Dark and Stormy Night?

Deanne Murphy retired from HCLS in December 2023 after 30 years with the library system We wish Deanne the best of luck in the next chapter of her life.

President's Message Happy New Year! I hope 2024 will be a great year for the library and for all the Friends Members. Speaking of members, our annual dues are payable as of January 1. We appreciate your continued membership and support. We always need new members, so please tell your friends about us. We added a scholarship fund to our budget in the fall and were able to give four scholarships to library staff members who are going back to school to improve their professional skills. This is just one of the services the Friends provide to make out Library system better.

The Georgia legislation 2024 session will begin soon. We will monitor all proposed bills and budgets that might affect public libraries, and we will contact our members for support if action is needed.

Our Big Book Sale is schedules for April 27th and 28th, and we will need lots of volunteers, both during those dates and the week before. Please put the sale on your calendar and please plan to volunteer. It is always fun to work with other Friends members and to see how the public loves the sale!

Hope to see you at the library in 2024!

Ruth Bruner, President of the Friends of the Hall County Library System

5 out of the many things the Friends did for the library in 2023 #1. over 3,000 kids ditched the summer slide! With the summer reading program

#2 Advocated for state grant funds for future East Hall Library Branch

#3 Happy Staff=Happy Patrons Covered costs for a rigorous Employee Assistance Program for the Library System staff and their families #4 Advocated for state technology funds for public libraries to offer up to date computers and internet to everyone!

#5 Provided funds for the purchase of special furniture for the Blackshear Place Branch Library Construction Project.

Diletto’s Cafe Closes at Spout Springs The owners of Diletto Bakery have made the hard decision to close their Flowery Branch location at the Spout Springs Library. They will continue their operations at their flagship Gainesville location. If you have not tried Diletto Bakery, we hope you visit their Gainesville location for some wonderful food.

The owners and Friends had a good relationship and we wish them well.

The Friends of the Library will be working with library staff and the library board to determine the best use for the space at the Spout Springs Library.

Friend s Sale Room We are looking for some Friends to help sort book donations and tidy up the Friends Sale Room at the Gainesville Branch and other branches! email ajunius@hallcountylibrary.org if interested FOOTNOTES |

1

New Releases at HCLS

Head over heels : Joanne Woodward & Paul Newman : a love affair in words and pictures / Melissa Newman

Betrayal / Phillip Margolin

What the river knows : a novel / Isabel Ibañez.

Resurrection walk / Michael Connelly

Same bed different dreams : a novel / Ed Park

Final witness : a Kennedy secret service agent breaks his silence after sixty years / Paul Landis

The armor of light / Ken Follett

FOOTNOTES |

2

The Atlanta History Center is now a partner with Georgia Public Library Service! All public libraries in Georgia, including all libraries in Hall County, have free passes to visit the Atlanta History Center. Just stop by any library and use your PINES Card to check out your pass.

The Library Pass is a library Loan program. When checked out and taken to the Center, the Pass is good for six (6) free admissions to the museum.

The Pass is presented at the museum for the free admissions OR patrons can pre-purchase tickets online with the Center’s website using the code on the back of the pass itself. The pass MUST be presented along with the online purchased tickets to gain free admissions.

The Pass is for general admission only and is not valid for special events or exhibits.

The Family Pass has a circulation period of seven (7) days.

The Family Pass may be renewed once.

The pass expires on December 31 of every year. A new pass will be issued before the expiration date but is not usuable until January 1.

Holds are not allowed pass is allowed to be used only once every six months per family.

FOOTNOTES |

2

Meeting Dates for 2024 All meetings are at 3pm in the Gainesville Meeting Room January 9th April 9th August 13th November 12th

Friends Board 2023 Ruth Bruner--President Jim Wise-Vice President Janet Ordway-Treasurer Mari-Ann Wise-Secretary

To renew or join online:

https://hclsfriends.square.site Or fill out the membership form

Memberships (except Lifetime) is due for renewal January 2024

Our membership/renewal form is located on the back of the newsletter. If your name is not listed, we have not recorded your renewal for 2023. If you feel we have omitted your name in error, or if we have misspelled your name, please call Adrianne Junius at 770-532-3311 ext. 126. All membership renewals are based on the calendar year and due in January.

127 Main Street NW Gainesville, Georgia 30501 (770) 532-3311

Join Friends of the Hall County Library System and enjoy your membership through the year 2024.

With your help, we can expand our library activities and services throughout Hall County.

Individual $25

Family $50

Patron $100

Sponsor $150

Lifetime $500

NAME________________________________________PHONE___________________ ADDRESS______________________________________________________________ EMAIL_________________________________________________________________ Please send me the newsletter by U.S. mail _____ Please send via email only _____ I would like to help with: Library book sales_________ Author programs_________ Fundraising______ Service on the Board _________ My check for $_____________ is enclosed.

Pay to FOHCLS, 127 Main Street NW, Gainesville. GA 30501