Lakewood Lore

Friends make library resources available to everyone

Many believe that volunteerism in Lakewood has served to make a good city a great one.

Often, those in the community with a willing heart and helping hand are members of the "Friends of the Lakewood Public Library," one of our numerous volunteer organizations that is particularly deserving a gold star.

"Certainly the Friends are doing a matchless job of promoting and extending our expanded library resources to more Lakewoodites than ever before," said Kenneth Warren, library director.

Chief focus of their more than 5,000 hours-per-year of volunteer work are the semiannual book sales, the next of which is scheduled to be held in October at the main library at Detroit and Arthur Avenues.

"Over the years, these sales -- major fund-raiser of the Friends -- have gained the reputation of being the best-organized in Ohio, with buyers coming in from as far away as Pittsburgh, Detroit and Columbus," Warren said.

"Each sale has at least 30,000 books, many of are choice volumes gathered by the Friends as donations."

Annual revenues generated by the sales have risen from $2,000 in 1981 to $32,000 in 1992.

Lakewood's main library and its branch on Madison at Clarence are maintained chiefly by funds allocated from state income taxes and city general property taxes, and from overdue book fines.

Monies from Friends book sales are used to benefit both libraries with a broad diversity of advancements, many beyond the libraries' budgets. They range from state-of-the-art computers, pieces of furniture and landscaping, interior plants and book bags.

Last year, the Friends bought furnishings for the children's new activity rooms. This year, they purchased six computers with electronic work stations that offer thousands of indexed, full-text articles from which readers can obtain free print-out sheets on a multiplicity of subjects.

"Homeward Bound," a free service program for shut-ins that delivers and picks up books, magazines and tapes, was made possible by the purchase of a new minivan, bought with proceeds from the October sale of three years ago.

Lakewoodites of all ages who are confined to their homes for whatever reason can enjoy the advantages of no-charge deliveries twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays, Warren explained.

The van also has made in possible to dispatch library loans to two senior housing facilities, and to make daily deliveries between the main library and its Madison branch.

A popular weekly program sponsored by the Friends is held at 2 p.m. Sundays in the main library auditorium. It is called "Sunday with the Friends" and features a series of speakers, musicals and movies open to the public. Admission is free.

The Friends was formed in 1980 with a handful of volunteers. Today, it has more than 800 members -- an all-time high, according to Paul Dimmick, current president.

First president was Katrina (Trina) Ranney. She remembers how, at one of the book sales in which she worked, she saw a man looking at a beautiful, pictorial, coffee-table-type volume entitled "The Wild Shores of North America."

She approached the prospective buyer and said, "This is truly a remarkable work. I know, because I have a copy. It is one of the finest books I have ever owned."

Convinced, he bought it. After he left the building and disappeared into anonymity, Trina discovered that the volume she had sold the man actually was hers. An acquaintance, to whom she had lent her book, had mistakenly donated it to the library for the sale.

Ruth Bennett, who lives on Arthur, near the library, has been treasurer of the Friends since its early days. Martha Folsom, 82, now a Rocky River resident, was first secretary and helped formulate the bylaws. She was on the library staff for 20 years, retiring in 1973 as head of its adult department.

A few of the of the others closely associated with the Friends organization for many years are Georgia Nielson, Bruce and Dorothy Jane (D.J.) Campbell, Maude Metcalf, Katharine and Robert Carr, Alice Aust and Anita Stickney. Current officers, in addition to Dimmick and Bennett, are Judith Games, first vice president; Alice Mecredy, second vice president, and Mary Boyer, secretary.

Next (1993) book sale at the main library will be open to the general public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 22, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 23. A preview for members of the Friends is set for 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 21.

The public is invited to join the friends. Annual dues are $2 for individuals, $5 for family and $10 for patrons. Memberships can be obtained at the door during the book sale and are available at the library desk anytime.

In praising the support of the Friends, librarian Warren again pointed out that more Lakewoodites were using the library than ever before.

"In spite of TV?" we queried.

"Maybe because of it," he replied with a wry smile.

This article by Dan Chabek appeared in the Lakewood Sun Post September 30,1993. Reprinted with permission.

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