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WINTER | FOL NEWSLETTER

2024 ANNUAL MEETING

The Friends of the Mobile Public Library present An Evening with Michael Farris Smith for our 2024 Annual Meeting!

A brief Friends of the Mobile Public Library Annual Meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. followed by a discussion with the award-winning writer Michael Farris Smith. Mr. Smith’s novels have appeared on Best of the Year lists with Esquire, NPR, Southern Living, Garden & Gun, Oprah Magazine, Book Riot, and numerous other outlets, and have been named Indie Next, Barnes & Noble Discover, and Amazon Best of the Month selections. He has also written the feature-film adaptations of his novels Desperation Road and The Fighter, titled for the screen as Rumble Through the Dark.

After his talk, there will be a question and answer session, followed by a book signing. Book sales will be provided by the Haunted Book Shop. We also welcome you to the reception in the Armbrecht Briskman Meeting Room.

For more information on this event, please email Adrienne McSwain at amcswain@mplonline.org or call (251) 494-2298. We hope to see you there!

Check out Michael Farris Smith new book called Salvage This World available now!

The Friends of the Mobile Public Library

The Haunted Book Shop

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello Library Friends!!!

I’m proud to report that the FOMPL Board had another successful year. For the first time since 2019 we were able to bring back the Friends Book Sale. We received so many comments from the public about how much they had missed the sale. I’m excited to announce that we are already planning for the 2024 sale. The 2024 sale is scheduled for April 26-29. As always, we will be needing help from our Friends. Watch for volunteer sign-up notices in your Friends email, the Friends Facebook page, at the various Library branches and on our website.

Under the direction of 1st VP Lauren Williams, the annual Maryln Schwartz Creative Writing Contest for 9-12 grade students concluded in November. Winners will be presented their awards at our Annual Meeting in January. Our monthly meetings are open to the public. If you are interested in finding out more about the Friends or in joining the Board, please join us at our next meeting. Checkout our Facebook page for Friends meeting dates and other events. A huge personal thank-you to 2nd VP Russell Adams for being sure our page is active and current.

In addition to Lauren and Russell, I would also like to thank the other hard working Board members who worked with me; Treasurer Judy Wesson, and Secretary Dana Sims. Thankfully, we have been able to add two additional members to our Board. Our newest Directors are Madison Nally and returning Board member, Raven McShan. Thank you all for your support!!! As a Board, we are still a small group. As we close 2023 and move into 2024, my plea is that as a FRIEND you’ll consider joining the Board. You don’t need special skills; just the willingness to give a little of your time. Check to be sure your membership is current and your information up to date. As a 501(C)(3) organization, you might consider an end of the year donation to the Friends to further support our Library system. If you are not a member of the Friends, definitely consider joining us. After serving on the Friends Board for the last 3 years, I am still surprised at how little most people know about the Library system and the Friends in particular. The Friends are not just “THE BOOK SALE PEOPLE”!!!! We are so much more.

I look forward to seeing you at our Annual Meeting, January 18, 2024.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!!

Diane Roe

President, FOMPL