Message Board
Richard Wright Week
April 21 - 25 marked Richard Wright Week in Philadelphia, which presented a series of events in schools and libraries exploring Wright’s influence on the United States and literature. Wright’s daughter, Julia Wright, traveled from Paris to take part in the series. Libraries were especially important to Richard Wright as he grew up, and Ms. Wright’s excitement about speaking in North and West Philadelphia libraries infected her audience. Ms. Wright read selections from her own writings as well as from Black Boy and Wright’s final unfinished manuscript, A Father’s Law. Read part of these selections here. Famed Pennyslvania poet Lamont Steptoe joined Julia Wright on stage to talk about Wright’s influence on his own work, and read from his collections of poetry as well. The events were sponsored by Moonstone, Inc., Friends of the Free Library, the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Office of Accelerated Learning of the School District of Philadelphia, and The Richard Wright Centennial Committee. Support was provided by Friends Groups of the Blanche A, Nixon, Ogontz, Coleman Northwest Regional, and Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Libraries as well as Friends Community Coordinator Erin DeCou.
First Time Home Buyer’s Seminar (Kensington)
Hispanic Alliance for Community Advancement, in partnership with Friends of Kensington Library, sponsor a First Time Home Buyer’s Seminar at the Kensington Library on Saturdays, May 10 and 31 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. Learn about: Housing and Credit Counseling Programs; How to Avoid Predatory Lending; and First Front Door grant program for down payment/settlement costs. Housing Counselors will be available to assist residents. Free information and resources; refreshments will be served.
Big Events
Some big events are coming up for the Friends. Here’s a peak at what to watch out for:
Friends Book Corner Big Book Sale - April 25: 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.; April 26 & 27: 10 a.m. to 6 a.m. For three days we host Philadelphia’s longest running outdoor book event. Located outside Book Corner’s front door you will find thousands of fiction and non-fiction titles priced at $2.00 and under. Bargains abound inside too with 35% off all in-store stock. (excluding new children’s books and select consignment items).
Fox Chase 20th Anniversary - Saturday, May 3, 2008. The celebration will run from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. All are welcome and it is a free event. There will be refreshments and cake. Entertainment will include a magic show with Kyle and Kelly from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Bubbles the Clown will be there from 1:30 until 3:00 p.m. doing face painting and balloon sculptures, and Andrew Roblin will be doing a family musical program at 3:00 p.m. There will also be a raffle for some nice prizes.
Rodriguez Cinqo de Mayo Open House - Saturday, May 3rd from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. FREE and open to all. Featuring: Spanish guitarist and Mexican themed music with audience participation; Fabulous Faces face painting for children; Mexican Clay Pot make and take Craft for the children (FREE); Used Book Sale - all genres at affordable prices; Refreshments for sale.
Friends Gala and Silent Auction - Wednesday, May 14, 2008 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The event will take place at Philadelphia’s Independence Seaport Museum, located at Penn’s Landing on Columbus Boulevard between Dock and Walnut Streets. For an invitation, or more information, email Steve or call 215.567.4562.
Frankford Flea Market & Bake Sale - Saturday May 17 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Vendors wishing to reserve space at the flea market should call 215.685.1473 for information. Book sale will feature new and used, soft and hard cover books (non-fiction, fiction, children’s, romance, mystery, how-to, sci-fi and more!) at very low prices ($.25 to $2.00).
Donatucci Flea Market & Family Fun Day - Saturday, May 17 from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Donatucci Library. Over 50 spaces are available at just $15 for you to clear out your closets or find some hidden treasures to fill them up with. Events will include Bubbles the Clown with face painting from 10 a.m. to noon and a display and talk on model ships from 1 to 3 p.m. Book and bake sales will last through the day with refreshments and snacks available for purchase. Call 215.685.1755 for more information of to reserve a space to sell.
Torresdale Friends Go Green
On Saturday, March 15, 2008 members of Friends of the Torresdale Library joined volunteers from the nonprofit environmental group Northeast Tree Tenders to plant a tree on the Branch Library’s grounds at 3079 Holme Avenue. Once the Branch’s new tree was successfully planted, several Friends members volunteered their time to help the NE Tree Tenders plant more trees across Northeast Philadelphia; an affiliate of the Philadelphia Horticultural Society, the NE Tree Tenders’ goal is to restore the tree canopy lost in Northeast Philadelphia over the past fifteen years one tree at a time.
Friends of the Torresdale Library is a neighborhood volunteer organization that links the Torresdale community to its branch library through volunteerism, community programming, raising funds for library materials, and advocacy. Come to our next meeting on Monday, April 14, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. to find out how YOU can join the new Friends of the Torresdale Library.
Computer Lab Increases Usage
Kensington’s Gates Computer Lab gets more attention with two community organizations bringing groups in. Isabel Cartagena from the Mann Senior Center brought a group for a computer class in Spanish earlier this week and they plan to come weekly. Also, Bruce Miley from COMHAR has brought a group twice and plans to return regularly with his group. They used the lab independently. Marcela Franco of Kensington would like to thank everyong who helped in promoting the lab! Special thanks go out to Steven Duckworth for creating the Gates Lab brochure and to Juan Sanchez Romero for translating and recreating the computer class flyers and the Gates brochure.
Torresdale holds elections
Friends of Torresdale Library held elections for officers. The group, now numbering a core contingent of 12 to 15 strong, congratulates Linda Colwell Smith, President; Ida Olitsky, Secretary; and Joan Creamer, Treasurer.
Bushrod secures DCED Grant
Friends of Bushrod Library secured a $10,000 DCED State Grant. The grant will be used to sponsor FREE community literacy workshops for seniors; job readiness and computer skills trainings for adults; assorted children’s programming; arts and crafts; teen programming; summer reading program support; a book discussion group for adults; and a beautification and mural project for teens and children to promote the library.
Volunteers are Vital (Part 4)
On Saturday March 1, Friends of the Free Library held a Financial Management workshop as part of the Volunteers are Vital program. FFL bookkeeper Annette Griffin led the workshop, providing information about record-keeping, financial decision-making and new IRS rules. Thanks to the more than 40 people from the following 26 separate branch library groups who attended the workshop: Blackwell/WPR, Blanche Nixon, Cecil B. Moore, Chestnut Hill, Donatucci, Eastwick, Fox Chase, Frankford, Haverford, Holmesburg, Independence, Kensington, Lawncrest, Logan, Lovett, Nicetown-Tioga, PCI, Rodriguez, Roxborough, Santore, Torresdale, Wadsworth, Walnut West, Welsh Rd., Whitman, Wynnefield. Each received a handy bookkeeping toolkit and ended the morning by playing Stump the Bookkeeper, a game that ensured that everyone, including the bookkeeper, learned something new.