What FORL Funds: Sarah's Favorite
Each January, library staff come to our first meeting of the year with proposals outlining programs, supplies, and items you can check out that aren't funded by the city budget. Sometimes it's an item we've funded for years, like the New York Times subscription, other times a librarian or staff member has a new and exciting idea they want to see come to fruition.
New ideas: those are my favorite.
Ideas that librarians have been thinking about, and have the luxury to consider because they know the community not only has an interest, but they'll pay for it by donating to the Friends of the Library. I wish Rockridge library patrons could see the look on the librarian's face when they present their ideas to the Friends board. It's such fun to hear the excitement and to participate in seeing an idea leave their head and expand and blossom because of of donations to FORL.
My favorite FORL funded item is the Kamishibai set that Children's Librarian Erica Siskind uses. I've written about it before, and what I love is how Erica's interest has grown and expanded through this initial seed she first planted for the children who enjoy her story time. Erica's excitement has jumped off the page as she's kept us apprised of what she has learned, what she's providing the community, and how she has taken her interest across borders to an international gathering of Kamishibai story tellers in Mexico. We're all so proud of Erica and what she continues to bring to the Rockridge Library community.
Thanks to everyone who has donated to FORL. Your generosity makes a big difference to the neighborhood, to those who enjoy what the library offers, and to the staff who make it happen.
-Sarah Washburn FORL board member since 2012
