Library seeks foundation members

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The James River Valley Library System is searching for library-loving volunteers to join the James River Valley Library Foundation.

The foundation coordinates donations and fundraising activities on behalf of the James River Valley Library System, but is a separate body from the JRVLS Library Board, said JRVLS Director Joe Rector.

“Membership is open to anyone interested,” Rector said.

The Library Foundation is especially important for the JRVLS because it will ideally also serve as the system’s Friends of the Library organization, Rector said. Those groups usually coordinate book sales and do small fundraisers as well as volunteer at the libraries.

The Library Foundation has a seven-member board that makes decisions, which does include one person from the JRVLS Library Board.

Volunteers are still needed to fill the other six positions, and people can also join the foundation without being a part of its decision-making board.

Currently, the foundation’s board has three members, who have expressed the intent to leave the foundation when their terms expire in December.

“(The foundation) arrived at that point through a variety of disagreements, personality conflicts, misunderstandings,” Rector said. “The library building project put a great deal of strain on the relationship between the board and the foundation.”

Rector said he does not expect that the Library Foundation would raise the full amount of a new library or the remodeling and expansion of Alfred Dickey Library.

“If the county is to have a new library or a renovated library, it will take a joint effort of the librarian, the library board, the foundation, the city and the county,” Rector said.

He still hopes some of the remaining members of the foundation are willing to continue their work, but if all of them leave, and there are no replacements, the Library Foundation would have to legally disband and then legally reconstitute itself — all of which would cost money.

Rector emphasized that people do not have to be professional fundraisers to join the Library Foundation, just people who love the library and can dedicate time to overseeing existing funds and soliciting donations.

Dale Marks, Stutsman County commissioner and chairman of the JRVLS Library Board, said the library system is looking for “people willing to serve … people that are interested in the library, and in promoting the concept of moving forward with a library that’s functional to the community.”

The Library Foundation’s board would likely meet once a month, and it would set its own agenda.

Anyone interested in joining the Library Foundation or its board should call Rector at 252-2990 by the end of the month.

Sun reporter Kari Lucin can be

reached at 701-952-8453

or by email at

klucin@jamestownsun.com

Tags: local news, news, library