Last fall the Albion College Library launched a Friends of the Library group. The Friends of the Albion College Library is a chance for book lovers and library supporters to promote and enrich the Albion College Library. It is an opportunity to share a love of books and learning AND participate in the future growth of the library.
At present we have 41 members. We are very fortunate to have members in each Friends membership category. Our membership breakdown is:
Benefactor 1 Couple 4 Organizations 6
Associate 2 Friend 18
Sponsor 5 Student 5
Friend's contributions to the Library totaled over $5,000. We would like to publicly acknowledge our first Benefactor, Dr. Dean Smith. We would also like to recognize Associates Ms. Jackie Maag and Drs. Jack and Kitty Padgett for their very generous gifts.
The Friends of the Albion College Library made its official debut last fall at Homecoming. The Homecoming crowd enjoyed looking at the old yearbooks, photographs and college memorabilia on display in Baldwin. Our first formal program was a travelogue and slide presentation by Dr. Catherine Lamb of the Albion College English Department on Israeli and Palestinian society. We were also fortunate to have Dr. Trish Franzen, Director of Albion College's Center for Women, discuss her new book, Spinsters and Lesbians. Our last program, an afternoon Books and Coffee, featured Dr. Jim Diedrick of the Albion College English Department. He read from his new book titled Understanding Martin Amis. Each of these entertaining and informative programs was well attended and thoroughly enjoyed.
The library's annual book sale did VERY well this year. The book sale earned $1,075 for the library. To add interest to the book sale, we decided to include a silent auction. The silent auction featured books that were more valuable or desirable than the typical book sold at a book sale. It was fun for everyone and a big money-maker for the book sale.
Thanks to the generous support of our Friends, the library was able to purchase a number of books and foreign language videos for the library collection. Funds were also used to purchase a linoleum relief print for the library from the Senior Art Show. And finally, the beautiful grandfather clock in the Stockwell Library's President Room was cleaned and restored to working order. We are currently identifying rare books that need restoration. We would like to begin sending some of the most valuable titles off for restoration in 1997.
Return to the Friends Home Page
updated 3/18/97 MVH