1. Friends of the Sun City Libraries, Inc.
Celebrating the start of Fairway Saturday Hours
About Us
Library Volunteer

2. Friends Volunteer Ice Cream Social
We’d like to tell you about:
Who We Are
What We Do
Our History
What You Can Do
Volunteer Opportunities
Our Bookstore
Book Buddies
Library
Board
Our Web Site
Recap
Tell Me More!
Friends Volunteer Ice Cream Social

3. Sun City Library at Bell Recreation Center
Who WeAre
We’ve been around almost as long as Sun City
Our Mission is to “Enhance the Community through support for the Sun City Libraries” financial support
Sun City Library at Bell Recreation Center

4. Sun City Library at Bell Recreation Center
Who WeAre
This includes supporting the Sun City Library branch at Bell & 99th Avenue
The Sun City branch had over 150,000 customers last year, with a circulation of over 300,000 items
Almost 400 programs (most sponsored by the Friends) were provided to about 5,000 attendees
Sun City Library at Bell Recreation Center

5. Sun City Fairway Branch at Fairway Recreation Center
Who WeAre
It also includes supporting the Fairway branch at 107th Avenue and Peoria
Sun City Fairway Branch at Fairway Recreation Center

6. Sun City Fairway Branch at Fairway Recreation Center
Who WeAre
It also includes supporting the Fairway branch at 107th Avenue and Peoria
The Fairway branch had over 45,000 customers last year, with a circulation of over 86,000 items
Over 100 programs (most paid for by the Friends) were provided to over 2,400 attendees
Sun City Fairway Branch at Fairway Recreation Center

7. What We Do
If you like math, that means last year, Sun City libraries supported approx. 200,000 customers with almost 400,000 items in circulation, and 500 programs
Sun City represents about 7% of Maricopa County Library District’s (MCLD) total volume
Sun City is the ONLY city in the Maricopa County Library District (MCLD) to have TWO branches (total 19 branches)

8. Automated Check In Machine at Bell
What We Do
That’s what we do…support these two libraries by working closely with MCLD and the Recreation Centers of Sun City (RCSC) to make sure that Sun City has the best that libraries have to offer
In addition to programs, we also provide the library with things they need such as
Shelves, Tables, Chairs
Computers
Check in Machines, and
Volunteers and other financial support
Automated Check In Machine at Bell

9. Dishing Out Ice Cream at our summer Ice Cream Social
What Else Do We Do?
We also provide the community with other library related things they need, like volunteer book buddies, readers, and other monetary grants, such as a $5,000 donation to the Del Webb History Museum last year
Dishing Out Ice Cream at our summer Ice Cream Social

10. Book Around the Corner Bookstore
What Else Do We Do?
We get the funding to do this through generous donations, bequests, and income from our volunteer run Books Around the Corner Bookstore
Book Around the Corner Bookstore

11. Sun City Libraries History:
1960 Shortly after Del Webb opened Sun City, the need for a library was recognized. Sun City gave 820 square feet in the Town Hall Center, now the Fairway Recreation Center site, for use as Sun City’s first library run by 8 volunteers
1961 An informal “Friends of the Library” group was organized to raise money and to serve as volunteers. It became a non-profit organization in 1971
1963: Jerry Costin is checking out books to Charles Nearman. Photo courtesy of the Sun City Area Historical Museum

12. Sun City Libraries History:
1972 Del Webb made 2,500 square feet available at the Lakeview Recreation Center, for a much needed move to larger facilities. The first paid librarian was hired, aided by a volunteer staff of 30
1974 The Webb Corporation made space available in the Fairway Center for a Branch Library. At the same time, planning was underway for a new Bell Recreation Center.
1963: Jerry Costin is checking out books to Charles Nearman. Photo courtesy of the Sun City Area Historical Museum

13. Sun City Libraries History:
1984 Always in need of financial support, the Friends of the Library used a large variety of fund raising methods, including an organized annual bridge marathon. The Library didn’t just offer books, but also included “Books on Wheels’, cassettes, jigsaw puzzles, and large type books. Polaroid cameras were available for check out
1976: The Bell library on opening day. Photo courtesy of the Sun City Area Historical Museum

14. Sun City Libraries History:
2008 Facing continual financial challenges (even a controversial fee for library cards did not meet the needs), the Sun City Library voted to pursue becoming part of the Maricopa County Library District (MCLD).
1976: The Bell library on opening day. Photo courtesy of the Sun City Area Historical Museum

15. Books Around the Corner Bookstore
Sun City Libraries History:
 2009 The Sun City Libraries became part of the MCLD. To reflect their new role of support, the nonprofit “The Sun City Library, Inc.” was amended to become “Friends of the Sun City Libraries, Inc.” Its mission was and is to ENHANCE THECOMMUNITY THROUGH SUPPORT FOR THE SUN CITY LIBRARIES.
Books Around the Corner Bookstore

16. Books Around the Corner Bookstore
Sun City Libraries History:
2009 The “Books Around the Corner” Bookstore opened in the old Hoover Room at Bell. It’s still there today, and earns over $34,000 a year, all of which goes right back into our libraries
Books Around the Corner Bookstore

17. Books Around the Corner Bookstore
Sun City Libraries History:
Today The Friends of the Sun City Libraries, Inc. has over 90 volunteers. The MCLD managed Sun City Libraries have nearly 700,000 items available to every card holder, including printed books, audio books, DVDs, CDS, magazines, and even ukuleles
Books Around the Corner Bookstore

18. Books Around the Corner Bookstore
Sun City Libraries History:
We’ve come a long way since 1960, but one thing has remained consistent: Sun City and the Friends of the Sun City Libraries, Inc. know the immeasurable value of a great community library
Books Around the Corner Bookstore

19. Do you Like Our Mission?
If you like what you’ve heard so far, and want to help us continue our mission, we have several options for you to consider…

20. What Can You Do?
You can shop at our Bookstore. We have hard covers, paperbacks, magazines, CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays, puzzles and more!
You can donate your used materials to our Bookstore
You can remember us in your Will
You can volunteer!

21. What Can You Do?
You can sign up for our distribution, where we send you information about our sales and more
You can sign up for the Fry’s Community Rewards Program (where a portion of your Fry’s purchases are donated to the Friends)
Like us on facebook®, and watch for special events and announcements

22. What Can You Do? At our Bookstore At the Library
There are several ways to volunteer
At our Bookstore
At the Library
As a Book Buddy or Book Friend
With our Board of Directors
on a committee or on the
Board

23. What Can You Do?
By the way, our volunteers LOVE working with us. We know this, because we surveyed them last year, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. They love the people, they love being around books, and they love helping people
Here are more details about each
volunteer opportunity

24. Books Around the Corner Used Bookstore:
This little gem of a bookstore is located “Around the Corner” in the Bell Library
It’s open Mon-Sat from 10A to 4P
You can help stock items,
cashier, and help people
find what they want
Most folks work one 3-hour
shift a week

25. Books Around the Corner Used Bookstore:
The bookstore has great sales every month, special interest tables, and fun contests
We have a great children’s section as well

26. Book Buddies:
Book Buddies pick up and deliver library materials to people who cannot go to the library
You work with them to select library items they want
This program helps to keep people engaged

27. Book Buddies:
We are also excited to be starting a Book Buddy companion program called Book Friends
It will involve reading to seniors in a variety of settings

28. Library Volunteers:
Library volunteers work with library staff at both libraries to restock shelves
Volunteers also do other jobs that libraries may need, like removing book labels, etc.
Volunteers enjoy interacting with the library patrons as well as their fellow volunteers

29. Board of Directors:
The Board of Directors meet the second Thursday of the month, September through May at 9:30 AM in the Bell Library. The public is welcome and encouraged to attend
Board members and advisors run the bookstore, the Book Buddy program, maintain the Web Site, host Friends booths at fairs and other meetings

30. Board of Directors:
They also keep the financial records, determine spending, recognize and reward volunteers, and continually look for more ways to “enhance the community through support for the Sun City Libraries”
We always need Committee members to help us as well as Board members

31. Our Web Site: SunCityLibraryFriends.org
You can find all of this information and more on our web site:

32. Our Web Site: SunCityLibraryFriends.org
Our web site also has a Bookstore page that showcases our sales and contests and special items that come in to our store
We have a calendar that keeps you up to date on our events and meetings
We also have our history, media articles, and all of our brochures and applications available on our web site

33. Recap:
We told you who we are, what we do, and a little bit about how we got here
We told you what YOU can do if you want to help support the libraries and be a part of the Friends of the Sun City Libraries
We went over the Books Around the Corner Bookstore, the Book Buddy Program, and Library and Board Volunteer opportunities
And we’re giving each of you brochures about the Library and the Friends so all of this is easy to remember

34. Can we answer any questions you may have?

35. Thank you so much for letting us talk to you today Now, what can we do for YOU?