Dr. Preston Maring at Friends’ Membership Meeting

The Friends of the Albany Library held their annual membership meeting on Wednesday, October 10.  After a short business meeting, the group’s guest speaker, Dr. Preston Maring, spoke about public health, healthy eating and the beneficial effects of Farmers’ Markets.

His statistics and personal stories showed how fresh food, prepared at home, improves health and helps the checkbook. Dr. Maring started the Kaiser Permanente Farmers Markets. These markets provide access to fresh food in communities served by Kaiser and give shoppers the added assurance of knowing how and where food is grown. Visit Kaiser Oakland’s Market on Fridays, 10-2. http://www.pcfma.com/market_home.php?market_id=9

Dr. Maring closed with a demonstration of his cooking (and chopping!) skills. The program was followed by some serious cookie consumption, thanks to the Friends!

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Book Sale Bravos: $2096.39

A super thanks to the Friends of the Library and assistants for their herculean volunteer effort this weekend. Due to an elevator outage, these Knights of the Dungeon carried box after box up from the basement to make this sale possible–over 5000 items in all. The organizational skills of FAL were in evidence once again. The sales area looked great and the rooms were full of people.

At 50-cents a piece, it’s amazing to hear the final total from the sale: 2096.39!

It’s History!

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The Numbers are In!

50-cent sale a success! Friends of the Albany Library raised $2290.06 at their July Sale. Donations after the sale were distributed far and wide. Some remainders went to the military, some to schools, some to inmates in local jails and some to other charities. FAL wants to thank the shoppers who bought books and the volunteers and students who helped with set-up and sales.

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Albany Friends Jumpstart the Summer!

The Friends of Albany Library had an amazing booksale last weekend, raising $7,691.57 for the programs that make this library so fun! Vintage and Collectibles were high scorers, as always. The large Community Center Hall held well-organized rows of choice picks, with 50-cent items on the tables outside.

Hidden treasures donated to the library continue to sell very well online, with some titles topping the $100 mark. (Pssst: the Friends of the Library love “signed copies.”)

Marsha Skinner and her band of merry men (high school & college students) carted tables and books from basement to the sales floor, powered by delicious donuts. Volunteer groups came and gathered donations for many great organizations–including schools, inmates and the military.

Superb weather both days made for great shopping! See happy customers and booksellers below.

Start your engines! Alan prepares cash boxes before booksale.

Serenity before the Sale

Big room browsers

Kids corner!

Rainbow of books

Mega-bag

Liz at rest (a rare moment)

Read as you go

Shopping obsession?

Don’t miss out on Mantovani!

Joan and Tower of Treats

Caryl and the Leaning Tower

Donut power!

Sailing through Sunday

Sunnyside

Worth kneeling for

Perennial favorite: Garfield

Thriller alley!

Anne plans her strategy

Splendid weather for outdoor sale

Happy Cashier!

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March Book Sale results!

A very big Thank You to all Donors, Shoppers and Volunteers!

We earned $2,228.75.

• The money will go to the library for programs for all ages, books and materials.
• Our next big sale is May 19 and 20, two days, two rooms. We will need lots of help. Please join us again. Ask your friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors to become a Friend and help us at the sale.

Thanks again,
Liz Keiley-Roark,
Friends of the Albany Library

_________________

Friend of Albany Library, Marsha Skinner, reports that leftovers from the booksale went to incredible places and will do incredible things. Here is the list:

Alameda County Library Jails Service
Albany Senior Center
Culinary Arts program at MacGregor High
The Center For Creative Growth
Jefferson School Literacy Program
K-8 Orthodox school (Always happy to find a home for Encyclopedia Sets!)
U.S. troops stationed overseas. ( Note: We received wonderful thank you notes from Bagram Air Force Base, from other bases in Afghanistan, from a ship, from Djibouti, and ” From a rock in the … valley” for the last batch which was sent.)

The generosity of all who donate to the Albany Library booksales is appreciated far and wide.

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November Knock-Out: a book sale to remember

Thanks to ALL the donors and shoppers, putter-uppers and taker-downers, one-time volunteers and frequent Friends! Though it was a knock-out success, Marsha and the clean-up crew were still standing on the following Monday morning!

Additional donations of books were set aside for Local Educators, the Troops, Overseas Schools, and Inmates at the County Jail.

The Friends of the Albany Library, (see them in action below,) raised the staggering sum of

$7026.23

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The Secret Lives of Friends of the Library!

September’s display case exhibit gave us a glimpse into the secret lives of our Friends of the Library. For a couple weeks last month, it took a little “aqueous humor,” or “aquatic humor” to get through the days–after water poured into their storage rooms, but they kept at it and the results were spectacular. 

If you want to join this illustrious group, come on come on Wednesday, October 5, at 7:15 pm to the annual Membership meeting. Following a short business meeting, the “food writers,” Robin Donovan and Juliana Gallin will talk about The Lazy Gourmet and give a brief cooking demonstration! There will be door prizes and cake. (Meeting in the Edith Stone Room.)

PS. If you see the newly legible tiles on the Marin side of the Library, thank a Friend.

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Booksale results: Sky High!

Friends raised a whopping $2512 from the 50-cent book sale. Leftovers went to great causes: Inmates in the Alameda County and San Francisco Jails, US troops in Iraq & Afghanistan, Albany Senior Center, teachers and students in Albany and Berkeley. A big thanks to all who helped, including students from Macgregor High School.

Sales Soar!

 

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Library takes a Stroll!

Library staff and Friends of the Library came together under the canopy once again for the 2011 Solano Stroll. Books were sold, games were played and prizes awarded to anyone who “took a spin” on the library wheel.

Our Mini-Mandala featured questions of great complexity like, “Can you practice your trumpet in the Library?” or “Can you read in the Library?” Kids had great fun winning the prizes though a few junior geniuses found our questions too EASY!!! (“The noive,” to quote the Cowardly Lion in the Wizard of Oz.)

The Friends’ treasurer, Alan Riffer, reports that the Stroll booksale netted $815 – a record! The library gained wonderful publicity, as well. The Stroll always includes new residents and out-of-towners who don’t know about the Treasure Chest just down the street at 1247 Marin!

Caryl O’Keefe did a great job planning and preparing for the event. Thanks to everyone who did a shift in the library booth and to all the hands behind the scenes who made it happen!

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Friends’ Book Sale: $7229

Sale raises record $7229!

 

Special Thanks to the Students from MacGregor High School who were a HUGE HELP at the sale.

 Leftovers from the May sale went to :
 
     U S Army troops in Iraq and Afghanistan 
     African schools – Uganda and other countries 
     Nevis and St Kitts 
     a local art teacher 
     San Francisco Jail 
     St Vincent de Paul 
     Springville and Strathmore ( Tulare County) libraries

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