Join a Friends Group!
All nine of the neighborhood libraries now have Friends groups. These organizations provide a direct link between the library and the community. Friends Groups serve as advocates to promote and protect neighborhood libraries, they support local libraries by raising money for books, supplies and programs; and they will help to govern Community Libraries of Providence by participating in the selection of neighborhood representatives to serve on the CLPVD board of trustees. If you use a neighborhood library, consider becoming a Friend. The contact person for each Friends group is listed below.
Friends of Fox Point
Shari Weinberger
shari@theweinbergers.net
Friends of Knight Memorial
Deborah Schimberg, President
deborah@gleegum.com
Friends of Mount Pleasant
Audrey LaForge, President
AJL59@cox.net
Friends of Olneyville
Cyndie Wilmot, Contact Person
gingergirl3@icloud.com
Friends of Rochambeau
Kathy Rourke, President
kathy_rourke@verizon.net
Friends of Smith Hill
Althea Graves, President
altheagraves38@gmail.com
Friends of South Providence
Vacant
Friends of Wanskuck
Patricia Raub, Contact Person
praub86@gmail.com
Friends of Washington Park
Bob Medeiros, Contact person
bobhoop9@gmail.com
CLPVD Friends Groups Roles and Activities
CLPVD Library Friends Groups support and are encouraged to promote quality library service in the community through advocacy, fund-raising, volunteering, and community outreach. Friends Groups, through their representation on the CLPVD Board, also help to govern CLPVD. They achieve these goals by fulfilling the following objectives:
Help with Library Programming
- CLPVD Friends groups help CLPVD strengthen the cultural and intellectual life of the community.
- Friends groups organize and sponsor programs that promote community enrichment.
Advocacy and Community Outreach
- Friends groups raise awareness of library services and programs to the general public and assist with community outreach efforts.
- Friends groups are encouraged to serve as advocates on local and state library issues and to advocate for CLPVD to city officials and state legislators.
Fund-raising
- CLPVD Friends groups raise funds to support the activities of their Friend's group and to help fund their library’s services, programs and needs.
- Friends groups are encouraged to support and help promote CLPVD’s fundraising activities.
Governance
- Each Friends group elects or otherwise designates a representative of their group to serve as a board member of CLPVD for a term of two years.
- CLPVD Board members designated by Friends groups attend and participate regularly in CLPVD Board meetings; represent at the Board the particular concerns of their libraries; and share information with their Friends groups regarding board decisions, system-wide CLPVD programs and other library-related developments.
- Friends groups support the policies of CLPVD adopted by the CLPVD Board.
- Designated representatives of Friends groups regularly participate in the meetings of the All-City Friends Council and report back to their Friends Group.