Photograph by Kathy De La Torre

Maria Lincoln enjoys reading to her 3-year-old daughter, Christina, at the Saratoga Community Library. The Friends of the Saratoga Libraries just received a grant for $5,000 for children's programs at the library.




Grant supports library children's programs

By Kara Chalmers

The Friends of the Saratoga Libraries on Sept. 27 received their single largest grant ever--$5,000 from the Wells Fargo Foundation, earmarked for children's books and programs.

The Friends, comprised of about 1,200 members, raises money for the library through book sales, auctions and donations. After Santa Clara County, the Friends is the biggest source of funds for the library, topping $114,000 in contributions last year, according to librarian Dolly Barnes.

The grant will directly improve services to youngsters who visit the library in the afternoons. Most likely, it will buy materials to help children with homework and recreational reading, Barnes said.

"We're also considering some occasional afternoon activities, possible craft programs, special entertainers, and also some additional staff to assist children in finding what they need," she said.

Within the next few weeks, Barnes and the children's program librarian, Diana Colby, will make specific decisions on uses for the grant.

"We would like to put [the grant] back into the community as soon as we can," Barnes said.

According to Len Golbranson, branch manager of the Wells Fargo on Big Basin Way, the Friends can use the grant any way they like, as long as it benefits the children's program. That includes purchasing new books, paying for more employees, or paying for the physical expansion of the building or the children's section of the building.

Golbranson had suggested to the president of Friends, Bill McDonnal, that the nonprofit group might qualify for a foundation grant and encouraged him to apply back in September.

Golbranson then passed the application on to Mario Diaz at the Wells Fargo Foundation, who asked Golbranson to make sure the Friends request a grant again next year.

"I think that any program that benefits education for children is a worthy cause and the Friends of the library are doing that," Golbranson said. "I thought that it would be a good place for the foundation to put its money."

As it turns out, children's books and programs are at the forefront of many library patrons' minds as well. Also in September, the Friends kept busy mailing questionnaires and interviewing people on the street, asking which library services should be improved. Out of the 7,000 Saratoga-area residents contacted, 600 filled out the survey. It turned out that children's books and programs ranked third, behind only more books in general and more space. Residents surveyed also suggested that more space be made between shelves, and that more computer terminals be available.

The Friends used the survey primarily to gauge public sentiment toward renovating and expanding the library, something they have been tucking money away to support, says president McDonnal.

During the week of Oct. 11-16 the Friends promoted Library Awareness Week, which the group started last year to let Saratogans know about needed renovations at the facility at Saratoga and Fruitvale avenues.

And if the Friends believe they have adequate support from area residents, they will ask the City Council to place a library facilities bond on the 2000 ballot to be used for a major renovation. But it is still too early for them to tell.

One thing that is certain is the Friends' unwavering desire to make the library a better place.

"I really don't know of any other Friends group for a community this size that has the number of members they do and that raises the kind of funds and awareness they do," says librarian Barnes. "It's very impressive."

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