There are numerous Friends' Groups around Australia which support their libraries and library users and their recent activities or general notices are available on this page.
To view the recent activities or general notices of the Friends' Groups by state, click on the appropriate state on the map.
A full listing of the Friends' Groups is available for you to look at.
FOLA is compiling a list of Friends' Groups who have a web site or have a link to their Friends' Groups or are mentioned on the library's web address. Send us details (link address along with the name of the FOL Group).
If you run a Friends' Group and would like access to this web page to keep your own Friends' Groups information up to date, please contact Daniel Ferguson, FOLA.
The South Australia Big Book Club's selection for February was Night Letters by Robert Dessaix. In collaboration with the Barossa Council Library and Friends of the Barossa library, The Advertiser newspaper arranged an evening with this well known author at Peter Lehmann Wine Cellar Door. Another great literary event from Barossa.
We continue to watch the progress of our new library building with excitement.
We are pleased to report that the Minister for Trade and Regional Services has approved the Federal Regional Partnerships Grant of $276,000 to provide funding for the History Centre and Business Training Facility in the new building.
Stirling Library hosted the 2007 AGM of Friends of Libraries Australia.
Dawn Eastick, wife of Dr Bruce Eastick, former Premier of South Australia, Mayor of Gawler and a country Veterinary Surgeon was guest speaker at the February meeting. March speaker was John Ford, maritime artist who spoke about early migration ships to South Australia.
In 2004, Olive Snuggs received the Mayoral Achievements Awards for Seniors. Olive was an inaugural member of the Friends as Publicity Officer and later became President in 2001.
Name change! As Brighton and Glenelg Councils have amalgamated to become Holdfast Bay Council, the Brighton Friends have been asked to have a name change. Members are being asked to decide by 4 May.
Perhaps other FOL’s who have faced a similar situation could give an opinion? xxxx
Write to the Friends at: Brighton Library, 20 Jetty Road, Brighton SA 5048.
Arrangements are being made for a Literary Weekend on Kangaroo Island in May. The weekend will include the history, landscape, cuisine, arts and crafts of the island and well as a program organized by local writer Jill Gloyne and the Dudley Writers’ Group.
Ever aware of researching what members desire, the latest survey of the Friends revealed the need for functions scheduled ‘outside’ normal working hours. - Keeping in contact, most important for Friends growth!
In his Annual Report for 2003, President Dr Tony Shinkfield AO reported on another very successful year for the Friends of the State Library of South Australia, with membership increasing from 520 to 550. A 4 page report outlined activities and events across a wide spectrum.
FOWAL does it again - our first library donation for 2004, $2,500 has been handed to the library for some exciting new purchases. On 18 February FOWAL and a meeting with Goolwa Friends, with lunch and a talk from author Alan Tucker.
Friends recently celebrated 25 years of service. Council treated 110 members of the Friends to a sumptuous buffet. The Mayor said they needed to show their appreciation for volunteers working on behalf of the community.
This newly formed group is developing many activities to attract members. They hold quiz evenings, film mornings and barbecues to raise money for community projects. They also have a Book Reading discussion group. The Friends meet monthly at the Marion Cultural Centre Library's cafe.
The Unley Friends of Libraries Group was well represented at the recent FOLA Biennial Conference held in Adelaide.
The Friends of the Prospect Library supports our local library through a variety of events including an occasional raffle, an annual book sale, and special writer events. A newsletter, Books Etc, is published bi-monthly. Our Easter raffle raised over $150 for the library. Our next big raffle will be for Christmas. Our most recent, and very successful, writers event hosted Celestine Hitiure Vaite in conjunction with the Big Book Club.
Our next major fundraising event will be the annual book sale, on September 8. This year it will be a 'monster sale' because we have an extra accumulation of books because we had to defer last year's sale as a result of a major fire damaging the Council Chambers where we hold the event. With an expectation we will have a number of books left over, we may hold a 'mini sale' in November to coincide with the annual community street fair.
The Playford Friends held an afternoon tea on 19 June for Playford Homebound Borrowers at the Elizabeth Library. The Friends arranged a bus with wheelchair access for Borrowers needing transport. We had a sucessful and happy afternoon with an attendance of over 70 people. After the afternoon tea a tour of the Library was arranged for those visitors wishing to see the new facilities.