The mission of the Friends of the Merced County Library is to enhance, focus public attention on,

and generate community support for Library services, facilities, and other needs in Merced County.

Friends’ News and Notes A publication of the Friends of the Merced County Library

Volume 12, Issue 2 February 2020 - May 2020

CONTENTS

Page 1 Author Anthony Ray Hinton Will Visit Merced

Page 2 Author Series for Spring 2020 Corporate Sponsors

Page 3 Bookstore News and Notes Events Preceding and During Hinton Visit

Page 4 Memorial/Honorary Donations The Bookmobile Rolls Bling Sale #2

Page 5 What’s Going on for Teens? National Library Week at the Merced County Library

Page 6 Literacy Tutors Needed Evening Hours Update From the President’s Desk Contact Information

Page 7 A Tribute to Lifetime Friends

FRIENDS’ New Website!

Check us out at:

AUTHOR ANTHONY RAY HINTON WILL VISIT MERCED

By Birdi Olivarez-Kidwell

Great things happen when people work together! An author series began as a few Friends’ wishful thinking, but with the work of some dedicated people and the commitment of several organizations, it is now a reality. The Friends of the Merced County Library, the UC Merced Center for the Humanities, and the Merced County Library are pleased to announce that author Anthony Ray Hinton will visit Merced.

Mr. Hinton spent 30 years on death row in Alabama before being exonerated and released. It took a U.S. Supreme Court decision and the combined efforts of many members of the Equal Justice Initiative over 15 years to make his freedom a reality. Great things happen when people work together! Mr. Hinton’s memoir, The Sun Does Shine: How I found Life and Freedom on Death Row, has received national praise and was selected for Oprah Winfrey’s Book Club.

Mr. Hinton’s book will be the focus of a “community read,” and free copies of his book will be available at every branch of the Merced County Library and at the UC Center for the Humanities starting March 2nd. Library card holders request a free copy at local branches while supplies last. Additionally, community book discussions will be held at 6:30 pm at several branches from March 24th through April 22nd. The discussions will be led by (Hinton events & article continuation on p. 3)

friendsofthemercedcountylibrary.org

Anthony Ray Hinton

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The Friends Thank Our Generous Corporate Sponsors

GOLD-LEVEL SPONSORS:

MERCO Credit Union Kappa Kappa Gamma

SILVER-LEVEL SPONSOR:

Hattie Givens Testamentary Trust

BRONZE-LEVEL SPONSOR:

Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union

Author Series at the Merced County Library, Spring 2020 (all FREE!) AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERT DAWSON February 25, Merced Library, 6;30 pm “Library Road Trip: Photographing Knowledge”

Dawson’s photographic essay books include The Public Library and The Great Central Valley: California’s Heartland. Copies of The Public Library will be available for sale and for signing by the author.

Organized by University of California, Merced, and co-sponsored by the Merced County Library and the Friends of the Merced County Library. LIFESTYLE AUTHOR STEPHANIE LASKA March 14, Merced Library, 2:00 pm

A USA Today bestselling author, Stephanie Laska has published several books about her experience losing 140 pounds following a keto-inspired diet. Her books include Dirty, Lazy Keto: Getting Started and the Dirty, Lazy Keto Cookbook.

Organized by the Merced County Library and the Friends of the Merced County Library. AUTHOR ANTHONY RAY HINTON April 28, Merced Theatre, 7:00 pm (free tickets available on April 2)

Article on page 1, and a listing of events related to the Hinton visit on page 3. Organized by the Friends of the Merced County Library, UC Merced Center for the Humanities, and Merced County Library. Co-sponsors include the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts at UC Merced, the Community Foundation of Merced County, the Merced County NAACP, and the Atwater-Merced Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. CHILDREN’S AUTHOR SUSAN WALSH May/June, Atwater and Los Banos Libraries, TBA Being organized by the Friends of the Merced County Library and the Merced County Library.

Page 3 Bookstore News

and Notes By Sharon Terry

WE NEED DONATIONS OF GIFT CARDS AT THE STORE!

Time to wish all our Friends a Happy Valentine’s Day. February is often a lovely month in the Central Valley. The Bookstore will continue its $3-a-bag sale for hardbacks (bring your own bag). This program has helped us thin our shelves out a bit. This month we are also offering a Sweetheart Sale on paperbacks except for the almost new books. Buying any not-new paperback with red color on the cover entitles the customer to get a second one free.

Our Holiday Sale on December 7th was successful. Thank you to those who donated Christmas and other items for the sale. We made $290. A big thank you to our volunteers who were able to help that day.

We have signed on several new volunteers. Linda Weems will replace Judy Ramp on Mondays. Judy will continue to support our efforts but not as a regular. Elizabeth Whitt, another new volunteer, will work twice monthly from 5:30-7:45 during our new evening hours at Merced Library.

The Friends’ Bookstore is open every afternoon when the Merced

(Hinton visit, continued from p. 1) UC faculty and informed community members, and anyone interested in Mr. Hinton’s book is welcome (see inset for book discussion details).

The community read and subsequent book discussions culminate on April 28th with a book signing by Mr. Hinton from 4:30-6:00 p.m. at Merced Library, followed by his keynote address at the Merced Theater at 7:00 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m. The theater event is free, but a ticket is required for admission. Tickets will be available starting April 2nd at the Merced County Library, the Merced Theatre, the Merced Multicultural Arts Center, and the UC Center for the Humanities.

Co-sponsors of Mr. Hinton’s visit and the community read include the School of Social Sciences, Humanities, and Arts at UC Merced, the Community Foundation of Merced County, the Merced County NAACP, and the Atwater-Merced Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Through the combined efforts of the Friends, the Library, UC Merced, and these organizations, this sequence of events will bring together many community members, put a nationally acclaimed book into their hands, and offer them the opportunity to meet an author who has surmounted the most dire of circumstances. Great things happen when people work together! Library is open. Applications to join the Friends and to help with the store or other projects can be found at the Bookstore. Our donation guidelines are available on the door and inside.

HINTON EVENTS

March 2 Hinton book GIVEAWAY FREE at all libraries

March 24, 6:30 pm Book discussion, Merced Library March 25, 6:30 pm Book discussion, Los Banos Library April 7, 6:30 pm Book discussion, Atwater Library April 8, 6:30 pm Book discussion, Delhi Library April 21, 6:30 pm Book discussion, Livingston Library April 22, 6:30 pm Book discussion, Merced Library

April 2 FREE KEYNOTE TICKETS at all libraries and 3 other sites

April 28, 4:30-6:00 pm Book signing in Merced Library

April 28, 7:00 pm, Merced Theatre KEYNOTE ADDRESS

Page 4

Adopt-A-Book

Memorials

For Margaret Jane Bever AAUW Book Section III

For JoAnnie McMurtry Don and Kenra Bragonier

For Lola Bernice Walling Joyce Walling

Adopt-A-Book

Honorary Donations

For Kenra and Don Bragonier Arlene Nixon

The Bookmobile Rolls By Diane Amussen

Every other Monday at 10 AM the Bookmobile from the Merced County Library pulls in at Park Merced, the assisted living facility where I live. We’re ready.

Most of us are handicapped in ways that keep us from going out on our own, or even walking into the Bookmobile, so we value whatever comes to us. The driver/librarian fills several boxes with a variety of choices and hauls them into our front room.

The Merced County Library bought the Bookmobile new in 2012 with a USDA grant and the help of local donations. It has been in service since March 2015, and it enables the county library system to reach communities where library branches were closed (Planada,

South Dos Palos, Cressey). Its usual route visits residents like me whose library access is limited due to limited mobility and young children in preschools and Head Starts.

The FOMCL has saved about $25,000 toward a new Bookmobile, something we began doing once we realized that two Bookmobiles would be better than one. But in May the generator that runs the current Bookmobile’s lights, computers, and air conditioning stopped working properly; it overheats in summer and cannot be fixed or replaced. Now we’re back to start as we look at funding requirements of half a million dollars for the replacement vehicle we now need.

A Bookmobile grant has been written, and while we’re waiting for word, we continue to raise funds for our matching share. Please join us in this endeavor — we welcome your ideas, suggestions, helping hands and, of course, any donation you care to make! Stop by the Friends’ Bookstore just inside Merced Library, or visit our new website at friendsofthemercedcountylibrary.org.

Bling Sale Shopping

Bling Sale #2 By Leigh-Ann Thornhill

Who doesn’t love a little sparkle, a little glitter, and a good deal? Life wouldn’t be as bright without some bling. Back for the second year by popular demand, the FOMCL Bling Sale featured over 1,500 donated items, everything from purses, earrings, necklaces, rings, bracelets, scarves and much more. This year the fundraising committee decided to try something new to control the chaos at the start of the 2019 event; we made the sale two days instead of just one. January 31st, the first day, was for members only. Then the public was welcomed on February 1st. This proved to be an ingenious idea. Seven new members signed up the first day, and the sale made just over $1,000. Proceeds from the two-day sale totaled $2,200. From the feedback, it looks like the Bling Sale may come back for a third year, so be on the lookout for donation information in late 2020. A lot of work goes into this sale; countless volunteer hours are spent gathering, sorting, packing, and pricing. I tip my hat to all who helped make this year’s Bling Sale a massive success, and I look forward to seeing the bling that comes our way next year.

Page 5

What’s Going on for Teens at Your Library?

By Linda Weems

Plenty that’s what!! Whether you’re into Anime, Virtual Reality or Crafts, we have something for you!

The first Tuesday of each month, the Teen Anime Movie Club meets in the Gracey Room from 5:00 – 7:00 pm to watch and discuss a variety of Anime, while munching on Japanese snacks. Come and help us plan our next activity!

Ever wonder what virtual reality is all about? Every Tuesday and Saturday from 3:30 - 4:45, teens and adults can explore virtual reality in the VR room, learning and having fun with it.

And each month, there’s a craft activity for teens in the Gracey Room.

Monday February 10th, from 3:30 – 4:30, have fun making a Galaxy in a

Jar craft and enjoy a bit of the night sky in your own room. All supplies provided.

Monday March 16th, from 3:30 – 4:30, get creative and make your

own wearable art. Bring a solid color t-shirt; we’ll supply the rest.

Monday April 20th, from 3:30 – 4:30, brighten up your life

with a beautiful handmade macrame plant hanger. Bring your fingers, and we’ll supply the rest!

National Library Week at the Merced County Library

April 19-25, 2020 By Leigh-Ann Thornhill

National Library Week began in 1958 as a way to celebrate and acknowledge all that libraries have to offer and how important they are to their communities. This year’s theme is “Find Your Place at the Library.” The American Library

Association recommends that the public join in the celebration of this week by visiting their library and showing support for their library, especially on social media.

It is during this week that we, the Friends of the Merced County Library, take time to thank all MCL staff for the amazing and awesome support they provide the library and the community. We do this by sending handwritten thank-you notes and cookies to each staff member.

Like last year, the Saturday of National Library Week will culminate in the FOMCL signature event at the Merced Library (poster on the right). From 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on April 25th, there will be a local authors’ fair, a book sale, and live performances. Come meet the authors, hear them read selections from their books, and get signed copies of the ones you most enjoy. We will hold a big book sale just outside the building, and the Fremont Elementary Choir will sing on the main floor at 10:00 AM. Stay tuned to the website and Facebook page for more information as we finalize the details. Last year’s event was a big success, and my hope is that this year’s will be just as successful. During National Library Week, I encourage all of you to find your place at the library.

Last year, Americans visited the library about twice as often as they went to the movies, according to a Gallup poll.

Page 6

Tutors Needed for Library Literacy Program

By Diane Penders

Volunteer tutors are needed for the adult literacy program at the Merced County Libraries. We have a long list of learners waiting for a tutor to become available to help them with reading, writing, English, or GED subjects.

Do you have 3 hours a week that you could spare? That's all it takes. Help us help others make positive changes in their lives.

For an application or more information, visit us on the bottom floor of Merced Library, or call Read and Succeed Literacy Program, 209-385-7391.

Evening Hours Update By Diane Amussen

The Merced County Library is benefitting from a pilot program, running through June, to see how much evening hours affect library usage. The additional hours are 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Tuesdays at Atwater, Livingston, and Merced Libraries and on Wednesdays at Delhi, Los Banos, and Merced Libraries. In Merced, the Friends’ Bookstore will also be open on Tuesdays until 7:45 p.m.

Several Friends’ groups, including the FOMCL, are supporting evening library usage by sponsoring drawings for gift cards, open to patrons who check out materials at their branch from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Drawings are held weekly after the evening hours.

Patrons are encouraged to use these evening times to check out books or attend programs because that’s how the Library will be able to assess whether the new hours are helpful.

From the President’s Desk By Susan Leigh Flinspach

FOLs survive because they have dedicated volunteers. They also need donations and memberships to make a difference, but they would drop dead in their tracks without the volunteers.

I want to share some volunteer information that is being compiled by the Merced County Library Advisory Commission. The Commission asked the FOLs and the Traveling Library, an organization based in Gustine that promotes literacy and libraries, to estimate their volunteer hours in 2019. Although not all have had time to respond, here is what the Commission has received thus far:

Estimated FOL Volunteer Hours, 2019 Dos Palos Friends of the Library: 510 hours Livingston Friends of the Library: 405 hours The Traveling Library: 389 hours FOMCL: 5,000 hours TOTAL 6,304 hours

6,304 volunteer hours is an impressive total even though the data from two large FOLs in the county is not yet available.

FOMCL volunteers are busy recruiting authors, working on fundraisers, writing about the Library, running the Friends’ Bookstore, expanding our member/donor lists, publicizing events, updating the Facebook page, and promoting the services of the Merced County Library to everyone in this community. Volunteers are the heart of the FOMCL. Volunteers, thank you and huzzah!

Friends of the Merced County Library

P.O. Box 2463 President and Newsletter Editor: Merced, CA 95344-0463 Susan Leigh Flinspach Web: friendsofthemercedcountylibrary.org slflinspach@gmail.com

: Friends of the Merced County Public Library friendsofmercedcountylibrary@gmail.com

Judy Ramp volunteering in the Friends’ Bookstore

A Tribute to Lifetime Friends By Susan Leigh Flinspach

Established over 52 years ago, the Friends of the Merced County Library has enjoyed the support of many lifetime members. Unlike annual members who join year-to-year, lifetime Friends pay higher dues once to join for life. Most lifetime Friends continue to be generous supporters of the FOMCL after joining, for which the organization is very grateful. At present the FOMCL has 55 lifetime members. The Friends invited them to a tribute in their honor in Merced Library on November 13, 2019.

Two longtime past presidents of the Friends, Dr. Lori Nelson (left above) and Sharon Terry (right above), unveiled a plaque of names of lifetime Friends. The plaque was installed on the first floor of Merced Library beside the elevator, roughly opposite the staircase and the Gracey Room. It has room for the names of future lifetime Friends.

After the unveiling, the crowd moved into the Gracey Room for a brief ceremony. First the new administration of the Merced County Library and the Merced County Board of

Supervisors were thanked for their work to improve the Library. Next the lifetime Friends were recognized for their enduring commitment to the Friends and the Library.

Lori Nelson, Sharon Terry, and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Lloyd Pareira made brief remarks about the Merced County Library—past and present—and the legacy of the Friends. The event ended with conversation and feasting on cake.

Page 7

[L to R] Dr. Lori Nelson, County Librarian Amy Taylor, Board Chair Lloyd Pareira, current FOMCL

President Susan Flinspach, and Sharon Terry.

Lifetime Friends Jeannette McCollum and Dee Near

Friends of the Merced County Library P.O. Box 2463 Merced, CA 95344-0463 “Return service requested”

FRIENDS’ LEADERSHIP 2019 - 2020 President Susan Flinspach 233-9504 slflinspach@gmail.com Vice President Mary Badorine 531-6525 mkbadorine1946@gmail.com Secretary Leigh-Ann Thornhill 261-8476 ladrama@hotmail.com Treasurer Connie Wright 631-5117 mckamjj5@hotmail.com Director/Mailing Jeannette McCollum 723-3886 jhmccollu@gmail.com Director/Merced branch Sharon Terry 722-8268 sterry67@sbcglobal.net Director/Fundraising Susan Walsh 756-1473 drsusanwalsh@yahoo.com Director Anita Martin 722-2430 msmar1967@outlook.com Director Karen Albright 722-0165 karyboots@comcast.net Director Diane Amussen 724-0739 diane.amussen@gmail.com Director Mary Hofmann 384-2498 mhofwriter@aol.com