FOSAPL Officers for 2024–2025 (l-r): Secretary Daniel Garza, President John Costello, Vice President Nancy Gandara, Treasurer Barbara Morrow.
ABOUT THE FRIENDS OF THE
SAN ANTONIO public LIBRARY (FOSAPL)
The Friends, inaugurated March 23, 1964, promote public use of the San Antonio Public Library and appreciation of its value as a cultural and educational asset to the community and encourage the extension and improvement of its services. [more below]
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Executive Committee
Board Members 2023–2025 Term:
2024–2026 Term:
History of the Friends of the
San Antonio Public Library The San Antonio Public Library has always had friends, but the official Friends Group was inaugurated on March 23, 1964, when a formal Charter was issued and signed by thirteen dedicated library supporting original Board Members. The Friends of the San Antonio Public Library is a non-profit organization which supports the Public Library System through volunteer service, cultural and educational activities. The Friends give financial assistance to fund the continuing improvement of Library facilities and programs and serve as a conduit through which gifts and memorials go directly to your Library. Membership in the Friends is open to all. Although money is not specifically mentioned in its Charter, the Friends contributed over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the library during its first three decades, and at least fifty thousand dollars annually since then. In 1989, the Friends actively supported a campaign for the passage of a City Library and Literacy Bond Issue that passed and provided funding for the present central library as well as 12.7 million dollars for much needed Branch Library construction. In the early nineties, while Gladys Leverett was President of the Friends, she was instrumental in etablishing Branch Library and Special Interest Group Friends. Currently thirteen branches have official Friends Groups as well as the Texana and Genealogy Friends and Writer Friends. Branch Groups have their own officers and hold regular meetings and fundraisers to benefit their individual branches. The groups articipate in the activities of and support the precepts of the parent Friends of the Library. In 1991, a city ordinance was passed allowing the Friends to sell withdrawn library books and the City Manager approved the first Friends’ book sale held in Market Square. With Book Sale Chair Mary McAfee and retired Assistant Library Director Gerry LeFavre and many volunteer worker Friends, $22,000.00 was made in four sale days. Because of that success, the Friends BookCellar was established and opened in the Hertzberg Museum supported by volunteers and one paid employee. When the Hertzberg was renovated in 1997, the Book Cellar moved to the new Central Library basement. Dedicated Library Friends from throughout the city volunteer to work in and operate the Book Cellar on a daily schedule. The Book Cellar, special book sales, membership dues, and donations are the main source of funds provided by the Friends in support of the City Library system. Through the years, these funds have fulfilled “wish list” needs for the library branches and funded innovative grants for special projects that the library could not otherwise afford. Money has been granted by the Friends for library staff members to participate in Texas Library Association affairs, financing the Library Centennial poster project, and many thousands of dollars in generous support of Library Summer Reading Programs. The Friends President has a non-voting seat on the Library Foundation Board as well as the Library Board of Trustees. One of the Friends most successful and rewarding projects is the Arts and Letters Award, designed to recognize the literary and artistic talents and accomplishments of local residents. The award was first presented in 1972 to Janette Sebring Lowery for her classic children’s book, The Pokey Little Puppy. The success of that first award affair prompted the Friends to create an annual event in which local talented individuals are honored with an Arts and Letters Award. Award recipients to date are listed on the Arts & Letters Awards page. |
DOCUMENTS
FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS
SAPLings
Managing Editor - Alana Woods
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Round Table Notes Organizing a Friends Support Group
Libraries need friends throughout their community service areas to assure that the public is aware of the programs and services provided by the library system. As Friends, our support has always been system wide. However, some members want the opportunity to play a more active role in helping their individual branch library by forming a Friends organization where they can volunteer time, talent, raise money, and support their branch as needed to assure that their library services are developed and publicized. For assistance and guidance in forming a Friends branch support group, contact [email protected]. Friends Branch and Special Collections Support Groups
The FOSAPL Bylaws provide for the organization of branch or other volunteer Friends support groups to support library branches or special association with or collections of the San Antonio Public Library. Current members of the Friends may serve with support groups of their choice. Benefits of branch support group organizations are outlined in the FOSAPL Standing Rules. Each branch group functions under their bylaws and standing rules as administered by their elected officers. They have regular meetings with programs, hold book sales to benefit their individual branch, and participate in the activities of their library branch and their parent Friends of the Library. Branch members may serve as representatives to the FOSAPL Board of Directors. The location and volunteer membership of the current branch and special interest groups are listed below and on the following pages. All addresses are for San Antonio area. For information about each branch, contact a Branch Officer at his or her telephone number listed (where allowed) in the general membership directory. |