Five young authors read their poems and short stories to a packed room at our sixth pot-pourri book launch on October 4th, 2012. pot -pourri 2012 is an anthology of the winning poems and short stories from the Ottawa Public Library’s most recent Awesome Authors youth writing contest. The book can be purchased from FOPLA by filling out an order form and it is also available on library shelves.

A Great Night for Young Writers

English Edition Winter 2013 ISSN: 0822-658-X

The pot-pourri authors hold up their published works. Photo: Rheal Doucette

Twenty-four of the 41 authors featured in the collection, along with their family members and friends, gathered in the mezzanine of the Main Library to celebrate the publication of their writing. The excitement in the room was palpable, and everyone in attendance was filled with pride for the young writers in the room.

After the ceremony, the young authors milled about, offering each other congratulations and exchanging autographs. Book readings from Ottawa’s youngest talent, coupled with an enraptured audience and a few words of wisdom and congratulations from local author, Jenn Kelly, made for a terrific night!

The Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest is open to youth between the ages of 9 and 17 each year from October to January. Contest entries are judged by local authors and contest winners are announced at an awards ceremony in March. If you know of any budding young writers who’d like to submit some work, please encourage them to send in their writing. Perhaps their works will be featured in the next edition of pot-pourri!Local author Jenn Kelly, chats with some aspiring writers

Photo: Rheal Doucette

President’s MessageDear Friends,

2012 was another excellent year for the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association (FOPLA) and we made significant contributions to the library and, by extension, our community.

Our bookstores sales continue to do well, and we have our volunteers to thank for the remarkable success we achieved again this past year. The bookstores earned approximately $345,000 during the course of the year. In addition to giving their time to raise funds for our libraries, our dedicated volunteers also use their creativity to bring added warmth, character and literacy awareness to their branches. Read about some of their inventive book displays on page 6.

We have also seen impressive growth in our online sales through our partnership with Better World Books (BWB). A dedicated team of FOPLA volunteers at the Bartleman Building have been steadily sorting through tens of thousands of book donations and sending materials that cannot be used in our library branch bookstores to the online retailer. Our partnership with BWB has seen its first full year of sales and we are happy to announce that it has yielded us over $13,000 in 2012, and our sales continue to grow each month as we add more books to our online inventory.

Throughout our library system the money we have raised in previous years has bought much needed furniture and funded literacy programs, a children’s writing contest, and numerous important items that have been taken into the library’s collection. We also have sponsored two endowment programs – one at the University of Ottawa and one at Algonquin College – to assist deserving students in library related programs with their studies.

Thank you to all of our volunteers and customers for making it possible to contribute so much to a vital city service. I look forward to continuing our good work with you in 2013.

Respectfully yours,

Colin W. Plows President, Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

The Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association Board of Directors

Winter 2013 - 2 Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

Board Members Needed

FOPLA is seeking dedicated volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors for a two-year term.The ideal candidates will have experience in one or more of the following areas of Board governance: policy, finance, programs, personnel and advocacy.Our organization advocates for a strong public library system in our city. We raise approximately $250,000 for the library annually, with most funds coming from the operations of used bookstores run by local committees.Available positions:

- President - Vice-president Operations - Vice-president Advocacy and Public Relations - Local Committee Representative – Goulbourne-Rideau

If you are interested in an available position, please fill out an application form from our website.

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www.OttawaPublicLibraryFriends.ca

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Board of Directors 2012 - 2013

Directors-at-Large:

Colin Plows, President

-- Vice-President of Operations

Jessica Hertzog, Vice-President of Advocacy and Public Relations

Heather Murphy, Secretary

Sean Ingutia, Treasurer

Janis Sops, Member-at-large

Paul Bennett, Member-at-large

Anne Rutherford, Member-at-large

Anthony Beck, Member-at-large

Matthew Geigen-Miller, Member-at-large

Shelly McQuillen, Member-at-large

Stanley Lowe, Member-at-large

Cindy Streefkerk, Past-President

Local Committee Representatives:

Rachel Muston (Vanier Local Committee)

Judy Wisking (Nepean Local Committee)

Heather Murphy (Kanata Local Committee)

Colin Plows (Cumberland - Orleans Local Committee)

Nancy Shurtleff (Greenboro Local Committee)

Paul Bennett (Ottawa Local Committee)

-- (Goulbourn - Rideau Local Committee)

Part-time staff:

Marie Petersen – Administrative Assistant

Jasmine Ball - Public Relations Assistant

FOPLA Board volunteers:

Michel Goyette — TranslationWinter 2013 - 3Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

On July 7th, 2012 the library community celebrated improvements to the Hazeldean branch. FOPLA bookstore manager and Board member, Heather Murphy, took part in the reopening celebration, saying:

“The Library has done a truly fantastic job in making Hazeldean a community library of which we here in Kanata can be very proud... The Friends were very pleased to be able to contribute to these renovations... Here in the Hazeldean Book Nook, the community support has been tremendous. We have raised $34,000 since we opened almost 5 years ago, in November 2007... “

She went on to say that in 2012, FOPLA “gifted $30,000 for the Hazeldean renovations. With those funds, the Library purchased such things as the digital screen by the service desk and furniture. In previous years, Hazeldean has purchased such things as the benches out front, teen zone furniture, and display shelving with funds from the Friends. With your support, we will continue to fund improvements to our library in the future.

The Friends are looking forward to being part of the Ottawa Public Library of the future and hope that you will join us in our efforts.”

The Hazeldean library branch’s upgrades included:

· radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology· improved accessibility for users with disabilities· faster check-in and out· and improved customer convenience with better flow of people and materials throughout the branch

Hazeldean Library Celebrates Improvements

Winter 2013 - 4 Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

Hazeldean’s makeoverPhotos: Rheal Doucette

A library patron uses the new self check-out booth

Although the Hazeldean branch is the first to switch to RFID technology, the OPL is in the process of converting all of its collection, system-wide. Thanks to the implementation of RFID technology, multiple books and library materials can be scanned at once, rather than having their barcodes read one at a time. This improvement will speed up check-out times, so library patrons won’t have to wait as long to borrow materials. The technology will also make library staff members’ handlings with books faster, so they will be able to dedicate more time to library patrons.

To see the RFID technology in action, stop by the Hazeldean branch and watch your returned materials get carried away and scanned on a conveyor belt. And when you get to the self check-out booth, borrow a stack of books with one scan!

Heather Murphy speaks at the re-opening celebrationPhoto: Rheal Doucette

FOPLA’s 2012 PurchasesVisit our website www.OttawaPublicLibraryFriends.ca to see some of the things our organization sponsored in 2012.

Photos: Rheal Doucette

Winter 2013 - 5Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

Greenboro volunteers, Ilona and Madeline, stand beneath their book tree display.

FOPLA Volunteers’ Delightful Displays

Carp decorates with wrapped boxes and Christmas books for the holidays.

Winter 2013 - 6 Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

Our FOPLA bookstore volunteers have been known to get creative when showcasing our wares to attract customers. From monthly themes around holidays (Valentine’s Day and Halloween are a couple of favourites!), to displays of our most beautiful books, we’ve done it all.

The crew at the Greenboro library has made an art of the practice, using the space behind their coffee counter to exhibit book related themes. For the holiday season they created an artful collection of book trees. The volunteers change their display every three months. Previous displays have featured: vampires, crafts, books made into films, gardening, humour, and the ‘For Dummies’ series.

Next time you visit one of FOPLA’s bookstores, take a look at the arrangements on show.

Winter 2013 - 7Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

For opening hours, please call the bookstore or visit our website at www.OttawaPublicLibraryFriends.ca

Friends Bookstores

Friends’ Volunteer Bookshops

The Friends’ Bookshop - Main Library Telephone: 613-580-2945 Extension 32346

The Bookworm - Cumberland branch Telephone: 613-580-2424 Extension 39896

By The Book - Greenboro District Library Telephone: 613-580-2957 Extension 32626

Second Editions - Nepean Centrepointe branch Telephone: 613-580-2424 Extension 41491

Self-Serve Ongoing Book Sales

The Bookery - Alta Vista branch

Mille Feuilles - Blackburn Hamlet branch

Carp Book Corner - Carp branch

Keepers - Centennial branch

Dusty Jackets - Elmvale Acres

The Book Stop - Greely branch

Book Nook - Hazeldean branch

Encore Orleans - Orléans branch

Déjà Vu - North Gloucester branch

Bibliophile - St. Laurent branch

A Good Read - Stittsville branch

Signets Vanier Bookmark - Vanier branch

Specialty Book Sales

Book Ends - Beaverbrook branch

By The Book - Greenboro District Library

The Book Bar - Main Library

Collector’s Corner - Main Library & Nepean Centrepointe branch

mini-Mammoth Book Sales – held monthly during the school year at the Central Archives and Ottawa Public Library Materials Centre (100 Tallwood Drive)

The Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association

is growing again! Expect to see new

bookstores in the Manotick, Elmvale Acres and West

District library branches in the near future.

Name:

Address:

City: Postal Code:

Phone Number:

Secondary Phone:

Home Library Branch:

E-Mail Address:

Signature (for authorization):

I want to help my library and contribute to my community by becoming a member of FOPLA.

Membership Application Form

Patron...........................$100/annually Sustaining....................$50 /annually Family Membership...$35/annually Member........................$20 /annually

Corporate Membership...................$500/ annually Individual Lifetime Membership....$200

Advocacy Committee Work Internet/Computer Work Membership Public Relations/Communications Volunteering at a Bookstore Professional Services Please Specify ________________________

Please check appropriate box:

I’d also like to help with:

120 Metcalfe Street, 5th Floor, Ottawa, ON, K1P 5M2

If you

- believe in the value of literacy and learning

- love your Ottawa libraries

- want to support your library

- want to become a member of a winning team

The Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association (FOPLA) is the right choice for you.

With its multiple bookstores, specialty sales, and community involvement, FOPLA has become the leading fundraising friends organization in Canada. Join us and become a proud member of a group that supports our public libraries and fosters life-long learning.

We understand that community members want to be informed and want their voices heard. As a member of FOPLA, you will:

• have voting rights at the Annual General Meeting

• have voting rights at local committee meetings

• be entitled to sit on the Board of Directors

• be given advance notice of FOPLA events and activities

To further recognize our members, we give them:

• a membership card and a $2 gift coupon redeemable at any FOPLA bookstore

But most importantly, as a member you will:

• know that you are giving back to your library

• know that you are advancing the mission of the library

• feel good about supporting a resource that helps our whole community

Become a Member