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January-March Outstanding Service Award Nominations Into the New Millennium
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Into the New MillenniumLooking Back Forty Years A rather ornate and legal-looking document issued on February 12, 1962 by the State of Texas and the Office of the Secretary of State brought into being the Certificate of Incorporation for the Friends of the Austin Public Library. The Friends' purpose was defined as "being exclusively for literary and educational purposes" and "to promote the interest and welfare of the Austin Public Library" to and for the citizens of Austin. Although a number of "founding" members joined forces to create this first group, five members signed the articles as the first official Board of Trustees. These five were Mary Rice, Trueman O'Quinn, May Lea McCurdy and Howell Finch - and how times have changed! The original annual individual dues were $2.00. Thus was launched the almost forty-year tenure of the Austin Public Library Friends' service to the community: raising money for Austin's children; organizing a book sale beginning in 1987 (which to date has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars); and spending thousands of hours on that same book sale - tireless workers gathering, sorting, marking, laughing and enjoying the camaraderie. Keep your eyes on this space as the history of the APL Friends unfolds in the newsletter this spring. The complete history will also be put on the Austin Public Library website and copies of the columns will be available at the Fall 2001 Book Sale. When you read this - if you know of anyone who has worked with the "basement gang" in the past or if you are a "retired" member with funny stories about being "on duty," or if you would just like to reminisce or keep in touch, please call, write, or email me so we can include you in our information. You can even just send us your name for the record, and if you wish, the number of months, years, or estimated number of hours you worked. We are still in the basement on Tuesday and Saturday mornings. Hope to hear from you,
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