FRIENDS OF THE

MATHEWS MEMORIAL LIBRARY, INC.


 

Mathews County, Virginia
 


68 Maple Avenue
P.O. Box 127
Mathews, VA 23109

www.friendsofmathewslibrary.org

2012

Officers

Board of Directors

Maree Morgan, President
 Bronwyn Hughes, Vice-President/Treasurer
Pam Viens, Recording Secretary


The  officers plus:
Jane Abbott, Orrell Building/Book Sales
Doreen Folzenlogen
Christine Ulrich (Membership)
Jack Ward
Hank Furniss 
Michael Cannon
Steve Whiteway  Mary Whitley

Contact: friendsofmathewslibrary@gmail.com
Also visit:  www.mathewslibrary.org

 


MISSION STATEMENT

The purpose of this organization shall be to maintain an association of persons interested in libraries; to focus public attention on the library; to stimulate the use of the library’s resources and services; to receive and encourage gifts, endowments and bequests to the library; to support and cooperate with the library in developing library services and facilities for the community; and to support the freedom to read as expressed in the American Library Association Bill of Rights.

The Friends operate under a set of bylaws that can be found by clicking here.


MEMBERSHIP, MEETINGS, AND JOINING THE FRIENDS

Membership stands at 307, including over 250 life members, in Oct., 2012. Meetings of the Friends take place on the third Tuesday of April and November at 10:00 am, in the Library. The Executive Committee meets monthly.

All members are encouraged to attend; everyone is welcome to become a member. The membership fee is $5 per year, or $50 to become  a Life Member.

If you wish to join the Friends and help support our wonderful library, please contact Christine Ulrich, Membership Chairman, at mathewslibraryfriends.


PAST
PRESIDENTS

1982          Mary Noah
1983-1984  Jack Ward
1985-1986  Mason South
1987-1989  Kenneth Brown
1990-1991  Jack Stillman
1992-1993  Jack Ward
1994-1995  Jack Stillman
1996-1997  Norma Von Brock
1998-1999  Jack Ward
2000          Ray Hunley
2001-2004  Doug Wilton
2005-2006  Doreen Folzenlogen
2007          John Dayton
2008-2010         Neil Webre
2011-         Maree Morgan

 


ACTIVITIES

The Friends operate out of the Orrell Building, located to the rear of the Library. The Building houses a book store and serves as an office and meeting place for the Friends officers and executive committee.  The Friends operate entirely with volunteers. As there are no paid officers or staff, operational expenditures are kept to a minimum.

Individual donations, grants, book sales, and dues are the only sources of income. Over the past ten years the Friends have contributed over $250,000 to the Memorial Library. Financial support for the Library in 2011 was $31,392, which is roughly the average yearly support for the past five years. Those funds were used for library programs and to purchase books, audio books, computers, furnishings and equipment. Members of the Friends also contribute approximately 2,000 hours of volunteer service each year in support of the Library. Hundreds of additional volunteer hours were provided by the Friends in carrying out the responsibilities and projects of the organization. New volunteers for both the Library and the Friends are always welcome.


ONGOING PROJECTS

A Book Store in the Friends' Orrell Building, open 9:00am-1:00pm or 10:am-2:00pm most Saturdays  following Market Days (September) until Memorial Day and then Friday and Saturday each week during the summer, offering for sale at minimal cost thousands of used books and video tapes. Most hardbacks and trade books are $1 and paperbacks are 25 cents or five for $1. Book donations are always accepted. There is a drop box just outside the Orrell Building door.

A Buy-a-Brick Program, established in 2001, entailing the construction of a Brick Commemorative Patio and Walk located between the Orrell Building and the Library. Bricks honoring or memorializing clubs, individuals and families are an integral part of the patio and new names are constantly being added. Brick contributions are $100 for a 4" x  8" brick and $150 for an 8" x  8" brick. Print out the Order Form and mail, along with a check, to Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library, P.O. Box 127, Mathews, VA 23109

Book Donations, including: Healing Eagle Free Clinic of the Mattaponi Indians; Operation Paperback to our military personnel world-wide; Books to Alabama after Hurricane Isabel; Dictionaries to all third grade students at Lee-Jackson Elementary School; and books to local teachers for quiet time reading in schools.

Newsletters The Friends publish a quarterly newsletter. It is available here for downloading in Microsoft Word form. To download a copy, click on the issue you want below

2008

January

April

July

October

2009

January

April

July

October

2010

January

April

July

October

2011

January

April



 


HISTORY

The Friends of the Mathews Memorial Library was organized in the spring of 1982. Thanks to the efforts of Attorney Donald Bowman, the Friends was recognized by the IRS as a tax exempt, non-profit organization under IRC Section 501(c)(3).This makes all contributions to the Friends tax deductible to the greatest extent permitted by law. The new corporation is also tax exempt and non-profit under IRC Section 501(c)(3).

 


FOUNDING
MEMBERS

Elizabeth Bowles
Becky Cooke
Dorothy Gayle
Gladys Hammond
Virginia Hudgins
Clare Jones
Georgianne Laws
Sally Bet Lawson
Mary Noah
Marilyn Owens
Virginia Owens
Mary Pulley
Eileen Ripley
Bernice White


The Friends logo was adopted in 1984 following a contest among Mathews intermediate and high school students. Of the twenty-eight entries, the logo entered by high school student Malcolm Blacken was selected.

A major undertaking of the Friends organization was support for the renovation of the Memorial Library Building. From August 1998 through December 2003, The Friends Building Fund channeled $694,098 in donations and an additional $54,271 in income for a total of $748,369 to the renovation project. Of that amount, $725,429 went directly to funding the Library; administrative and fund drive costs were limited to $5,101. A reserve of $17,839 was set aside in interest- earning accounts for future contingencies.

Updated October 16, 2012