Friends Update Strategic Plan

The Friends of the Forest Grove Library Board has updated their strategic plan for the third time since the initial one in 2015.  During that span, the goal initially rated near the bottom has moved to first while the initial top goal is now the lowest.

In the current top ranked goal, “Recruit, train and retain Board members and volunteers,” the Board recognizes that current members, many of whom have been serving for decades, must be succeeded by younger members to achieve these goals.

Here are the goals in the new version, by priority.

  1. Recruit, train and retain Board members and volunteers   Add members. Recruit, orient, train and encourage active volunteer participation in Friends activities including serving on the Board.
  2. Provide cultural education and cultural opportunities for public   Maintain and improve the role of the Library as a cultural hub for the community through educational and cultural programs.
  3. Enhance image of library in community (advocating, promoting) AND Support Library Staff   Maintain and increase public support for our Library. Encourage the work staff does by funding their program requests, participating in their programs and giving personal recognition.
  4. Raise money to support items 1, 2 and 3   Engage in activities to raise funds for the Library, to support Friends-sponsored public programs in the Library and to cover operating costs incurred by these fund-raising activities.

You can find the full text of the plan here.

What you can do to help:

  • Donate to Friends and/or join!  See the “Donate” and “joinFriends” pages on this website.
  • Attend Friends annual meeting Wednesday, April 10 at 5:00 in the Rogers Meeting Room.
  • Come to the Spring Used Book Sale May 16-18 during library hours.
  • Volunteer your time: moving donated and sale books in the library (about an hour a week), checking Amazon prices for donated books (2-3 hours a week), sorting books for the sale (2-3 weekly), managing the Friends website or other social media venues, shipping sold books (an hour a day Monday through Friday), listing selected books on Amazon (2-3 hours weekly), pricing and arranging books for the ongoing sale shelves in the library (about four hours a month).
  • Or volunteer for the twice yearly book sale events: recruiting and scheduling volunteers, moving books from storage in the library to the Rogers Room, arranging books for the sale, sale clean-up, working at the sales desk during the sale, moving leftover books to storage or other sites away from the Library.

To find out more about these volunteer opportunities, email Friends fgcl.friends@gmail.com

Or contact Mike Smith: 503 530-9353

Read for a Cause

Last year Bob Abbey, the librarian in charge of the Adult Summer Reading Program, changed incentives for program participants.  Instead of offering them free books or other gifts for their hours of reading, those hours would earn donation dollars for West Tuality Habitat for Humanity. 

With funding from Friends of the Forest Grove Library, assisted by the Rotary and Lions clubs, those hours were turned into a $3,500 donation for West Tuality Habitat.

This summer, Bob has Friends of the Library support for a READ FOR A CAUSE program to help fund Meals on Wheels People (MOWP).  For every 100 hours of reading (or listening) one meal, at $10.50, would be funded.

Based on last year’s success, Bob figures that adult summer readers will report 7,500 to 10,000 hours of reading   Friends have allocated up to $1,050 and Bob has hopes that other local groups will add to that.

You will be able to sign-up for the Adult Summer Reading program and report your hours reading either on paper at the library or online.  Not only will you enjoy your reading but you will also help support a much needed service in our community.

See the Library’s website for news on the Adult Summer Reading program and to subscribe to the Library newsletter:  https://www.forestgrove-or.gov/library