Newsletters Can Be Emailed

Would you like to receive your Friends of the Library Newsletter by email rather than by snail mail?  If so, please email us at email address: bellairefol@yahoo.com.  Be sure to give us your full name and your postal address.

Annual Meeting

The Friends' Annual Meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 21st at 7:00 p.m. at the library.  Personal Historian Pamela Luce will be our guest speaker.  She will be showing and telling us how to preserve life's histories and keepsakes for our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and those to come.  Look for more information regarding this meeting in the local newspapers.

Senior Spelling Bee

You may have heard some "buzz" about the Friends' Senior Spelling Bee in the COA newsletter or through the Chamber of Commerce events calendar.  Because we had such a great response to it in 2007, we will offer it again this year at 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 8th at the Bellaire Senior Center.  We've lowered the participant age to 55 so that even more of us can take part.  To register you may sign the sheet at the library, call the library and we will sign it for you, or email us at bellairefol@yahoo.com.  Spread the word and encourage your friends to join as well.  We can use your help with prizes:  1st - a pie per month for 3 months, 2nd - a cake per month for 3 months.  If you are willing to help by baking one or more of these, please call Sharon at 533-9297 or Helen at 587-5381.

Summer Book Sale

The Summer book sale dates are Thursday, August 21st and Friday, August 15.  Once again we will be asking for good helpers. Watch for a sign-up sheet to be posted at the library in mid-July.  Donations will be happily accepted up through Tuesday, August 12th.

Looking Back

The original date for the Christmas Luncheon was cancelled due to a winter storm.  We were able to reschedule it for the following week and enjoy delicious fare at Cedar River.  We were happy to present Library Director, Linda Offenbecker with a check for $5,000 for library enrichment.

We purchased two DVD series for the library: Discovery's documentary "Planet Earth" and PBS's "The War."

Have you seen the new shelves in the Children's Section?  Half of their cost was provided by the Friends, and the shelves give much needed space for more books.

Story Time is progressing well, thanks to the volunteers and Raelene Reilly's organizational skills.  Any one wanting to be a story teller or donate incentive gifts for the children should call the library or Raelene Reilly at 231-676-1076.

We had a great haul of gifts for the Pet Tree.  Donations were divided between the Antrim County Animal Shelter and A.C. Paws.

Things to Keep in Mind

• We continue to recycle used printer cartridges.
• We need good used books for the summer book sale.
• Volunteers are needed for the circulation desk.
• We need showcase collections.
• Remember:  10% of your purchase at McLean & Eakin Booksellers in Petoskey goes to the Library.  Remember to mention the Bellaire Library!
• Don't forget!  The library receives new books all the time, come in and check them out!

We are accepting romance novels for a 2009 special project.  All romance novels will be accepted.  In the past we have discouraged donations of Harlequin novels and/or put them in the Free basket.  Not so this year, we encourage you to donate these.

Wanted:

More members at our monthly meetings.  In order to determine a meeting time that will generate more participation, we have included a blanks on the membership portion of this newsletter for you to note your preference.  You can print this page, fill in the membership form and drop it off at the library or mail it to:  FRIENDS OF THE BELLAIRE PUBLIC LIBRARY, P.O. BOX 477, BELLAIRE, MI 49615.  Thanks for your help with this matter!

Membership Dues

It is that time of year again, with memberships being due on May 1st.  Please check the date on your address label, it will show the year that you last paid dues.  We rely on membership dues for the majority of the funds that support our library.

Reminder

Please take time to look over the activities and meeting time on the membership form below.  We need your input on these things.