FRIENDS OF THE ANACORTES LIBRARY

Anacortes Public Library: 1220 10th Street Anacortes, WA 98221 (360) 293-1910 Friends of the Library Mailbox: PO Box 465 Anacortes, WA 98221

SPRING 2021 NEWSLETTER

We hope this message finds you and those you love, safe, well, and, perhaps, even rejuvenated as we approach the Spring of the year. Spring brings a time of hope, as plants begin to burst forth, and the days and hours of light lengthen.

Friends members and volunteers come for a variety of personal reasons and like the coming Spring, give us hope. We join together to support and advocate for our library, and to foster the love of reading and information-literacy in our community. Friends members and volunteers bring a broad range of knowledge and expertise that includes (but is not limited to) financial and business knowledge; book-selling experience; human resources proficiency; knowledge of public, school, special and academic library operations; educational expertise; work in volunteer training and supervision; marketing, writing and publishing backgrounds; financial expertise; and many have worked in different levels of government. We thank you all, our greatest resource for broadening our reach in the community.

As you know, the Library administration are dutifully monitoring guidance from government and health officials while COVID conditions continue to evolve and shift around the community and in Washington State. Anacortes Public Library has done an innovative job of safely providing virtual and streaming services and curbside pickup of holds in this time of the building closure. They plan to continue these service lines when the doors are open again, to ensure library users can safely obtain materials.

We miss seeing you in person and hope that opportunities to come together in person will present themselves as the year rolls out.

Our very best,

Kandy and Megan (FOL Co-Presidents)

BIG NEWS FROM THE LIBRARY! After the articles in this newsletter were written, the Library announced that they will open for 30 minute browsing by appointment beginning April 1. Library capacity is limited by state guidelines so patrons will be admitted inside for 30 minute appointments for express browsing, computer use, or children’s area browsing. They will reassess capacity and available hours every 2 weeks as state and city guidelines are updated. You can make an appointment starting March 22nd for the April 1st reopening by calling the Library at (360) 293-1910. More information is available on the Library website: http://library.cityofanacortes.org FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY: A HISTORY

The first body to name itself a “Friends of the library group” was founded in France in 1913. The first “Friends of the Library” organization in the United States was founded in 1922 in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, under the guidance of president Mrs. Al Chase. This organization was established to help purchase books for the community library and to receive donated materials for addition to library holdings. In the first year, the group raised $365 through membership fees ($9507 in today's dollars). Also in 1922, another library Friends group was chartered in Syracuse, New York.

In 1979, the Friends of Libraries U.S.A. (FOLUSA) was founded in order to help develop more Friends groups around the country and to encourage support and advocacy of local and regional library systems. FOLUSA was affiliated with ALA (American Library Association). At the time of the formation of FOLUSA, there were 2,000 Friends groups and around half a million members overall.

In 2009, the American Library Association's Library Trustees and Advocates division (ALTA, founded in 1890), and Friends of Libraries USA (FOLUSA) merged to form a new division of ALA called United for Libraries. There are currently 4,427 United for Libraries members, according to ALA’s membership report. Friends of the Anacortes Public Library is one of them. We have benefited from a gift subscription for many years from a generous Friends member.

The mission of United for Libraries is to support those who govern, promote, advocate, and fundraise for all types of libraries. Providing to all who value libraries, the materials and support they need to be effective advocates for their libraries on the local, state and national levels.

(Information from author, Susan Cushman’s blog, and the ALA United for Libraries pages)

Dear Volunteers,

We miss you so much! The library is so much more than a building. It is the people it serves, and also those who serve in it as you have done. We have keenly felt your absence this past year, and eagerly await the time when we can safely reopen our doors. You are the heart of the library and you add so much to our community. Anacortes Public Library is fortunate to have amazing volunteers like you. Thank you for your continued support of the library.

We look forward to when we can see you again in person.

Wishing you a safe 2021. Happy Reading!

Your library friends GREETINGS FROM THE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY!

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since we’ve been staying home and staying safe during this pandemic. Life in the library totally changed, like almost everything else in our lives. On this hopeful anniversary I wanted to share some thoughts with you all.

When the library closed, we had no idea how long it would last but we did know that we wanted to continue to provide what services we could to our library families. I had never filmed a virtual program of any kind, but it was immediately apparent that this was our future. Feeling very nervous, but comforted by having Raja - my trusty Storytime tiger - at my side, I launched our first virtual program. The response was so positive and we knew this was the right direction for now. All four members of the Youth Services Team quickly learned everything we could about virtual storytimes, makes improvements and gaining confidence as we went. Diana recruited community members, volunteers, and staff members to join us for Tuesday Tales. We’re proud to say that we have had a Storytime every weekday for almost the entire year.

The positive response to virtual Storytimes encouraged us to look at other programs we might offer. Throughout the year we have hosted virtual craft programs, books clubs, teen drawing classes, author visits, the Summer Reading program, and even a magic show. What we learned was that families especially appreciated seeing their library staff on the screen - reading a story, singing a song, sharing a craft, or just checking in.

When the Library started offering Curbside Pickup in June, we looked at other ways to provide services to families we couldn’t welcome in person. Our Children’s Personalized Picks form was a way to offer readers advisory online. A patron would answer some questions and submit a form about the types of books they were looking for. Within a few days, up to ten books were waiting for them to pick up. We have served more than 100 patrons with this service.

A few months later we added Take & Make Kits - all the supplies needed to take home and make a fun craft. Each month we distribute more than 125 of these kits to three age groups: Pre-Readers, Elementary School, and Tweens & Teens.

Aside from not being able to see our beloved patrons in person, the biggest challenge we faced was budget cuts to our City books budget. Our wonderful Friends of the Library and a donation from the Noon Kiwanis Club of Anacortes allowed us to make limited purchases and continue to have new books for readers of all ages. The FOL acknowledgement plaque that goes in every new book means more than ever to staff and readers alike.

Services and programs are an important aspect of our library work, but it all revolves around the relationships we form through that work. That is what we have missed the most. Seeing a toddler running to the Children’s Library because they can’t wait to get there. Hearing a roomful of families singing songs during storytime. Connecting a reader to a book by a favorite author, or helping them discover a brand new author. This is what we’ve missed the most. It has buoyed our spirits every time we get to connect with a family through Curbside Pickup, or seen a young patron in town, or received an email, note, or comment on social media thanking us.

We are grateful for the ways APL staff and volunteers have made services possible during this difficult year. We look forward to upcoming changes in service and welcoming our wonderful patrons safely back to the library soon.

Until then, Happy Reading!

Leslie Wilson MASTER CLASS AR TICLES: 1 2 CHARACTER ARCHETYPES

How much do you remember about character archetypes in a work of fiction? These archetypes have been categorized by Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, by the American literary theorist Joseph Campbell, and generations of authors, screenwriters, and storytellers. Here are the 12 most-commonly discussed character archetypes:

1. The Lover: the romantic lead who’s guided by the heart. Their strengths include humanism, passion, and conviction. Their weaknesses include naivete and irrationality. Some famous lovers are Romeo, Juliet, and Scarlett O’Hara. 2. The Hero: the protagonist who rises to meet a challenge and saves the day. Their strengths are courage, perseverance, and honor. Their weaknesses include overconfidence and hubris. Some famous heroes are Achilles, Luke Skywalker, and Wonder Woman 3. The Magician: a powerful figure who has harnessed the ways of the universe to achieve their goals. Their strengths may include omniscience, omnipotence, and discipline, while their weaknesses center on corruptibility and arrogance. Prospero, Gandalf, Morpheus, and Dumbledore are famous magician characters. 4. The Outlaw: the rebel who won’t abide by society’s demands. The outlaw can be a bad guy, but not always. The outlaw’s strengths include independent thinking and skepticism. Their weaknesses may include self-involvement and criminality. Among the famous outlaws are Han Solo, Dean Moriarty, and Humbert Humbert. 5. The Explorer: a character naturally driven to push boundaries and find what’s next. Their strengths: They are curious, driven, and motivated by self-improvement. They are weak in that they are restless, unreliable, and never satisfied. Famous explorers include Odysseus, Sal Paradise, and Huckleberry Finn. 6. The Sage: a wise figure with knowledge for those who inquire. Strengths of the sage include wisdom, experience, and insight. In terms of weakness, the sage may be overly cautious and hesitant to actually join the action. A few famous sages: Athena, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Hannibal Lecter (an evil sage). 7. The Innocent: a morally pure character, often a child, whose only intentions are good. Their strengths range from morality to kindness to sincerity. Their weaknesses start with being vulnerable, naive, and minimally skilled. Famous innocents are Tiny Tim, Lennie Small, Cio-Cio-San. 8. The Creator: a motivated visionary who creates art or structures during the narrative. Their strengths include creativity, willpower, and conviction. Their weaknesses include self-involvement, single- mindedness, and lack of practical skills. Famous creators include Zeus, Dr. Emmett Brown, and Dr. Moreau. 9. The Ruler: a character with legal or emotional power over others. The ruler’s strengths include omnipotence, status, and resources. Their weaknesses include aloofness, being disliked by others, and always seeming out of touch. Famous rulers include Creon, King Lear, and Huck Finn’s Aunt Sally. 10. The Caregiver: a character who continually supports others and makes sacrifices on their behalf. Among their strengths, caregivers are honorable, selfless, and loyal. Among their weaknesses, they lack personal ambition or leadership. Sometimes they even lack self worth. Famous caregivers include Dolly Oblonsky, Calpurnia, and Samwell Tarly. 11. The Everyman: a relatable character who feel recognizable from daily life. When it comes to strengths, they are grounded, salt-of-the-earth, and relatable. In terms of weaknesses, they typically lack special powers and are often unprepared for what’s to come. Famous everymen: Bilbo Baggins, Leopold Bloom, Leslie Knope. 12. The Jester: an intentionally funny character who provides comic relief but may also speak important truths. Strengths include the ability to be funny, disarming, and insightful. Weaknesses include the capacity to be obnoxious and superficial. Famous jesters range from Sir John Falstaff to King Lear’s Fool to George’s parents in Seinfeld.

Y OU CAN CLOSE A LIBRARY BUT Y OU CAN’T SHUT IT DOWN In Anacortes we all love the showplace building, the entertaining and educationally enticing programs, the bright and easygoing folks who work there, the Friendshop with its unbelievable book bargains, but have you stopped to wonder how the library is managing to fill the gap between a real and a virtual experience? The City has had to radically trim its budget with the revenue lost from the COVID pandemic, resulting in slashed budgets and staff layoffs. Library Director Jeff Vogel explains, “The library’s book budget has been suspended due to the current situation, so the Friends’ support is more crucial than ever. Normally, income from the Friends accounts for about 30% of the library’s overall book budget, but right now it is at 100%. We would not be able to buy any new books without the Friends, but it is a finite resource because the bookshop isn’t bringing in new revenue. We really appreciate your ongoing support of the Friends!” If you have wondered how to decide whether to donate to the Friends or the Foundation, know that either one is an excellent choice but there is a distinction. The Foundation solicits financial donations and bequests which memorialize the donors such as the Manieri Jazz Collection and the Maritime Collection, plus the Legacy program with commemorative plaque and bricks. There are no members other than the Board and its finances are managed by a professional. Originating nearly 30 years before the Foundation the Friends have two volunteers, Hal Rooks and Kandy Dubuque, who manage their funds with software and expert guidance. Membership is open to the public and its bookstore is staffed by volunteers. The Friends pay for adult and children’s library books and programs in particular. Money donated to the Friends goes right to work and is the first thing staff reach for to pay for day to day needs not covered by the City. Although materials, services, and programs are the Friends’ focus they have taken a hand in supporting library building projects. Five thousand dollars helped secure the Keith Shugarts Playground, a project dear to the O’Connell family. I substituted for Sally Shugarts at Island View Elementary when she took leave to nurse her husband in his last year with ALS. And my granddaughters gloried in the playground on family visits. Not everyone knows that the library’s community meeting room was secured with a $200 thousand dollar bequest to the Friends from Ruth Hogue and Eleanor Douglass. As reported in the March 28, 2001 Anacortes American, “The pair left $85,000 and $60,000 respectively in the early 1990s to the Friends of the Anacortes Library. That organization decided then, long before the library was planned or even envisioned, to put the money aside to help build it, co-president Barbara Hansen said at the time. “It has been a joy to see this money grow, even though in 1992 the library was only a gleam in the eye,” she added. The organization, which has been the main fund-raising arm since its inception in 1969, was determined to set the money aside in CDs, if a new building should come about….the Friends voted to pay $200,000---the amount accumulated by 2001--to the Anacortes Library Foundation.

HOURS @ THE LIBRARY TREASURER'S REPOR T: MARCH 2021

Thanks to your generous donations, the Library Staff is busy buying new books, periodicals, and movies in anticipation of Washington moving to Phase 3 of the "healthy Washington" reopening. The staff has done a great job during the Covid 19 restrictions serving the community with online checkouts and parking lot pickups. Hopefully, very soon, we will once again be able to browse the stacks and make our selections in-person. Many thanks to all of you who have renewed your FOL memberships for 2021. Currently, however, renewals are lagging behind last year. Our members are very important in demonstrating support for our Library, so please send in your membership soon, using the form attached to this newsletter.

WHAT’S THAT SQUARE THING?

It’s a QR code, a fancy image that will take you directly to the Friends of the Library web page when you point your smartphone camera at it. Try it! Grab your smart phone, open the camera app, then focus on the square. Your phone should recognize this as a link and, depending on your phone settings, either automatically open the website or ask you if you want to open it. That’s it! Give it a try!

Join or renew with the Friends of Anacortes Public Library! Gifts to the Friends support library collections, programming and build literacy in our community.

Yearly Membership Levels (calendar year, not prorated):

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Mail to: Friends of the Anacortes Public Library, P.O. Box 465, Anacortes, WA 98221 The Friends of the Anacortes Public Library is a 501(c)3 charitable organization.