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CHECK THIS OUT: Friendship at the Nelson Public Library

Friends of the Library have been a crucial contributor since 1985
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The Friends of the Library present chief librarian Tracey Therrien with a cheque in December 2019. Photo: Submitted

by Avi Silberstein

The words we use matter. That’s something we can all agree on. But one thing we can’t always agree on, is what those words mean. All of which becomes especially challenging when a word’s definition changes.

Friend.

It used to mean one thing. Then a certain social media behemoth came along, and now it means something else.

Here at the library, we have some pretty great friends. And I’m not talking about Facebook friends (although yes, we have those too). I’m talking about the Friends of the Library, a fundraising group that has donated over $240,000 (yes, you read that correctly) to the library since it was first created in 1985.

We can’t possibly overstate how significant their contributions have been over the years. Like a good friend, the Friends of the Library have always been there for us. They helped us fundraise to expand the library to include the basement, and more recently made it possible for us to create our exciting new Tech Hub rooms.

Historically, they’ve achieved all of this fundraising by organizing book sales. Moving forward, they’re looking to expand beyond just book sales, and move into different strategies.

And that’s where you come in.

Because like any non-profit organization, the Friends of the Library are always eager to welcome new volunteers into their fold. Fresh faces with lots of energy and innovative ideas. People who love the library and want to offer their support.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Friends of the Library, you’re welcome to attend their annual general meeting on Feb. 8 at 12 p.m. (on Zoom). Just email their board chair Miriam Williams at wil_ione@telus.net to register.

As we look hopefully towards the near future, when The Pandemic Which Shall Not Be Named no longer has us in its grip, we expect to emerge blinking into the sunlight, ready to rebuild all the community connections we’ve been missing for the past couple of years.

The Friends of the Library will be ready and waiting, offering a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow library-lovers among us.

We’re also excited to announce that we’ve launched a brand-new official City of Nelson podcast — The Scoop with Avi and Ginger. For our first episode, city communications co-ordinator Ginger Lester and I sat down with Colin Innes, director of public works and utilities, to discuss the snow event that hit Nelson on Jan. 4, where the city received a whopping 80 centimetres overnight.

Find it wherever you get your podcasts or watch the video of it on the City of Nelson’s YouTube page. Stay tuned for our next episode!

Avi Silberstein is the children’s librarian at the Nelson Public Library. Check This Out runs every other week. If you’re interested in learning more about library programs and services, sign up for our monthly newsletter on our website or by giving us a call.