The Friends of South Carolina Libraries will hold its annual meeting at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 14 at the Richland County Public Library at 1431 Assembly St. in Columbia. A registration fee of $15 includes a boxed lunch. FOSCL memberships are available for individual and group memberships ranging in levels from $15 to $25. To register for the FOSCL annual meeting, visit www.foscl.org. The registration deadline is Oct. 6.
By Francie Dunlap
FOSCL
The Friends of South Carolina Libraries will hold its annual meeting at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 14 at the Richland County Public Library at 1431 Assembly St. in Columbia. A registration fee of $15 includes a boxed lunch.
The program, “Volunteer Operations: Better Planning Yields Better Services” is designed to help the state’s local public library Friends groups to streamline their organizations to function like a well-run business. At FOSCL’s annual meeting, Friends from across the state can establish contacts as well as meet the new South Carolina State Library Development Consultant and liaison to FOSCL, Kathy Sheppard.
Former State Library director Jim Johnson will report on the latest fundraising efforts by South Carolinians to help the New Orleans Public Library System, damaged last year by Hurricane Katrina. This fundraising campaign, coordinated by Johnson, is being sponsored by the Association of Public Library Administrators and the Friends of South Carolina Libraries. To date, these groups have raised $22,000, the largest single gift provided by a statewide fundraising effort.
FOSCL also will present its annual awards. Past winners include Sens. Yancey McGill and Hugh Leatherman for outstanding Public Service to Libraries. Business Awards have included Johnson & Wales University as well as the Spartanburg Herald-Journal. The prestigious John H. Landrum Advocacy Award has been awarded to several people, including Liz and Dwight Patterson and members of the Doctors Bruce and Lee Foundation. Other awards recognize a library staff member, library trustee and an outstanding program conducted by a Friends group.
FOSCL has supported local libraries since 1988. They have sponsored a Library Administration and Management Fundraising Institute, where participants from South Carolina Public Libraries learned how to find donor prospects, recruit fundraising committees and design an annual fundraising campaign. FOSCL also supports and participates in Library Legislative Day, an event that allows Friends groups to thank their legislators for supporting public libraries in South Carolina and inform them of issues important to public libraries.
FOSCL memberships are available for individual and group memberships ranging in levels from $15 to $25. To register for the FOSCL annual meeting, visit www.foscl.org. The registration deadline is Oct. 6.
