Friends To Books And Readers Alike

By Byrde Cestare
Wednesday - January 05, 2011 Share

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By Byrde Cestare, Executive Director
Friends of the Library of Hawaii

The Friends of the Library of Hawaii, originally called the Honolulu Library and Reading Room Association, was founded in 1879. The original list of members included missionary families, business leaders, clergymen and royalty. Alexander Cartwright, the father of baseball, was one of the founding fathers, and the first honorary member was King David Kalakaua.

Through the sale of existing property, many fundraisers involving the community and the royal family, a bequest of property at the corner of Punchbowl and South King streets, and a grant of $100,000 from Andrew Carnegie, the Friends of the Library and the territorial government laid the cornerstone for the Hawaii State Library (HSL) in 1911.

The mission of the Friends of the Library of Hawaii is to support and promote Hawaii’s public libraries. FLH supplies funding for items outside the regular budget including programs such as the Summer Reading Program, which statistics show helps bridge the gap between the end of the school year and the beginning of the next.

Advocacy also is a strong component of our support. Last year’s Keep the Doors Open and Keep Your Libraries Open campaigns raised more than $300,000 and focused on the need to restore funding for Hawaii’s libraries.

Book sales are one of the many ways FLH supports our public libraries

We currently have 31 Friends affiliates at library branches throughout the state and are actively seeking to expand that important network.

Our two major fundraisers are the annual FLH Booksale and the Links to Literacy Golf Tournament, and our January Warehouse Sale is now in its second year!

Upcoming events include: a Legislative Breakfast Jan. 12 at Washington Place; Friends, Books, Music . . . THE SALE Jan. 15, 16 and 17 at the Harbor Warehouse; FLH annual meeting Feb. 24 at the Hawaii State Library, and the FLH Affiliates Conference Feb. 25 at theHawaii Community Development Authority Conference Room.

For more information on us or ways to support your local public library, call 536-4174, e-mail .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit us on the Web at www.friendsofthelibraryofhawaii.org.

Hawaii charitable organizations may send requests for space in either Proof Positive or the free advertisement below to dchapman@midweek.com.