Friends of the Granada Hills Library

Friends Of The Granada Hills Library President Mary Slotnick And Grandaughter Molly


Last week I was wandering into the library, hoping to get an interview with a librarian, but before I even got inside, I ran into the vivacious Mary Slotnick, President of Friends Of The Granada Hills Library, and her granddaughter Molly.



So you're the head honcho?

Head Honcho! And Molly's visiting from Colorado. Here's my card with my name and address.

So you're a friend of the Granada Hills Library but you live in Northridge?

Yes.


What's wrong with the Northridge Library?

When you begin to join groups, it's a friend who pulls you in, and a friend lived here and pulled me in here. And then you circle and meet friends and it's a bonding and a connection. A lot of people do that with different organizations they belong to.

So there's a social component as well as a volunteering component.

Oh, definitely.


So what do the Friends of the Granada Hills Library do?

We are a nonprofit arm. The city has 72 branches throughout Los Angeles. Every library has a friends group. The groups raise funds through book sales and other activities. We have a book bag, community grocery stores give us money, we receive donations, and funding goes into purchasing extra books, DVDs and supplies for the library that the city is not able to budget.


Can I take your picture?

Absolutely.
(To Molly) Do I look beautiful, Molly? We are gonna be famous, baby!

You see this DVD? it has to have a case on it that is locked so that someone cannot steal from it. That's one of the supplies that we purchase. If the city doesn't have money for supplies like a chair or a computer, we try and raise money for that. And one of the things we provide, which used to be free from the city -- is providing a program for the community that is multicultural. Like the Asian Dance Group. Did you go to that?

No, I wasn't able to...

Oh, what you missed! Please pick up my newsletter, which is in back on a table from the reference desk.


How can people in the community be better library patrons? The library gives to us, what can we do to give back? Be more quiet? Donate more money?

No, no. I think the library provides a service to the community for literature and education and information, and there's all kinds of information -- new movies, old movies, books, as well as public information. They don't take a position on public policy but they provide the information to the community. We wish to improve our public relations and marketing ability to let the community know that, boy, these programs are free! These books are free! Help us put up a book sale. Help us sell our bags. We've got a couple of bags we're selling. Are you recording me? Oh my.


Well, I want to get all this.

That's fine. Realize what the library gives to the community. Look at the little fliers we have all around. They're for children, they're for teenagers, young adults, seniors. There's so much that's available. Come and visit us.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Archive: Master of Pirates

Thoughts on Joe's Cafe and cancel culture