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ABOUT US
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The mission
of the Friends of the Merced County Library (FOMCL)
is to enhance, focus public attention on, and generate
community support for Merced County Library services,
facilities, and other needs. The FOMCL incorporated
as a charity organization in May 1967 and became a
501(c)3 non-profit in 1974. For over 50 years, the
Friends have championed the Merced County Library
through advocacy and outreach, volunteering, and financial
support.
The FOMCL is
a countywide organization. Every year about half of
the Friends’ budget helps purchase Summer Reading
performers, programs, and prizes at all library branches.
We also provide considerable annual funding for library
services for children and youth where most needed,
and we supplement the book budgets of the smallest
library branches.
Throughout its
history, the FOMCL has provided much-needed funding
on an annual basis to meet needs
such as furniture, landscaping, special programs,
events, and new books and materials. Recently, FOMCL
leaders decided that we could also serve the library
system by raising and reserving funds for long-term
projects.
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The FOMCL’s first long-term goal was a bigger
and better bookmobile to take the library to underserved
parts of the county and to seniors, preschoolers, and
less mobile users. The Friends adopted this goal in
September 2017, fundraised and saved for five years,
and provided $25,000 in matching funds for a state grant.
Thanks to the successful grant award, supplemented by
contributions from the Merced
County Library, the Board of Supervisors, First Five
Merced County, and an additional $5000 in FOMCL donations
to furnish and equip the basic vehicle, the new bookmobile
will hit the road in 2022.
The Friends’ second long-term
goal, adopted in summer 2021 to honor former FOMCL
member and library activist Mary Hofmann, is to help
build a new teen center in Merced Library. Learn more
about this new long-term goal here.
The FOMCL is also a hard-working advocate
for the Merced County Library. In the early 1990’s,
when the library system was
closed due to a financial crisis, the FOMCL was instrumental
in getting a few branches re-opened in short order
and in resuscitating the entire county system over
the next few years. Currently we are petitioning county
leaders to support the FOMCL long-term goals and to
open evening hours at
local library branches. The FOMCL proudly reminds
the community that the Merced County Library is one
of the county’s most valuable public services.
The Friends’ bylaws, policies,
and operating agreement with the Merced County Library
appear below. The FOMCL raises funds through donations,
memberships, fundraisers and sales, and proceeds from
the Friends’ Bookstore in Merced Library. In
recent years, corporate
sponsorships and grant awards have
also been important sources of funding. Contact
us to learn more.
Current Board of Directors:
President
Donald Barclay
Vice President Dee Near
Secretary Leigh-Ann Thornhill
Treasurer Connie Wright
Director Bernedette Castaneda
Director Susan Flinspach
Director Denise Seely
Director Sharon Terry
Director Susan Walsh
Director Linda Weems
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FRIENDS-LIBRARY
OPERATING AGREEMENT •
BYLAWS
• CASH-HANDLING
POLICY •
INVESTMENT
POLICY
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