Group supports library fundraising and programs
The Friends of the San Benito County Free Library celebrated its
30th anniversary during National Friends of the Library week Oct.
20.
”
The Friends of the Library are the best friend a county
librarian could have,
”
said Nora Conte, the county librarian.
”
They help advance services, share ideas and inspirations.
”
One of those inspirations this year was an essay contest for
middle school and high school students with a prompt,
”
The Library is my best friend because…
”
Group supports library fundraising and programs
The Friends of the San Benito County Free Library celebrated its 30th anniversary during National Friends of the Library week Oct. 20.
“The Friends of the Library are the best friend a county librarian could have,” said Nora Conte, the county librarian. “They help advance services, share ideas and inspirations.”
One of those inspirations this year was an essay contest for middle school and high school students with a prompt, “The Library is my best friend because…”
Ruth Erickson, the president of the Friends of the Library said entries were received from Spring Grove, Marguerite Maze Middle School, Calvary Christian School, Sacred Heart School and San Benito High School.
“I was thrilled,” she said. “I think that’s pretty good to have that many schools (involved.)”
She said the students had two weeks to submit their one-page essays. All the students who participated were invited to the celebration. Each received a Friends of the Library tote bag and a certificate, with one winner each from the middle school and high school level receiving a $100 check.
Riley Scherr, a sixth-grade student at Sacred Heart, wrote, “The Library is my best ‘Friend’ because it surrounds me with what I love: books.”
His winning essay included bits about the books he’s read recently, the references at the library and how helpful the staff has been in encouraging him to read.
Mia Vodanovich, a junior at San Benito High School, wrote, “Words, more than anything, have the ability to change someone’s life.”
In her winning essay, she wrote about how reading “It’s Kind of a Funny Story” by Ned Vizzini helped her deal with some of her own emotions that were similar to “the quirky and witty protagonist, Craig Gilner, whose misadventures lead him to North Six Psychiatric Hospital.”
The other essays included mentions of favorite authors, such as Judy Blume, receiving help from librarians and learning to navigate the Dewey Decimal System. One middle-school student wrote about receiving her first library card when she moved to the United States and how she used the computers at the library for homework assignments because she doesn’t have a computer at home.
Erickson said the quality of all the essays was high.
“If kids like to write, they are going to write,” she said.
In addition to honoring the essay writers, the Friends of the Library members were themselves honored. They received proclamations from state Senator Jeff Denham’s office, Congressman Sam Farr’s Office, state Assemblywoman Anna Caballero’s office, San Benito County and the city of Hollister for their 30 years dedicated to the library.
Earlier this year, the local group received the Best Friends Award from the Association of Library Trustees, Advocates, Friends and Foundations. The library was also honored with a bookmobile award.
“I want you to know, we appreciate everything you do,” said Mike Sanchez, the superintendent of schools. “Libraries are part of building lives. It’s not just books.”
Sanchez said he still has the first library card his dad signed for him when he was a child.
Conte said the Friends of the Library is “a culmination of where we have been and where we are going.”
“They can be very proud of their accomplishment,” she said.
She credits the Friends with helping to raise the $90,000 needed to purchase and fill the local bookmobile.
“They keep the dream alive of what a vibrant library can do,” Conte said. “Libraries change lives. They represent the true and worthy investment.”
Winning essays tout libraries as a friend
The Friends of the Library received entries from five schools in San Benito County – San Benito High School, Sacred Heart School, Marguerite Maze Middle School, Spring Grove and Cavalry Christian School.
The winning essays included personal stories of the ways in which the local library has enriched the lives of two students. The essays are below.
Riley Scherr
Sacred Heart, sixth grade
The Library is my best ‘Friend’ because it surrounds me with what I love: books. The library provides a constant flow of entertainment from books, providing me with laughter, adventure, and action. The Library is easy to use and very helpful with its organization, useful receipts, and librarians. The Library helps me perform better in schoolwork, improving my literacy skills while making it fun.
The Library lets me borrow a huge variety of entertainment. When I was younger I read picture books such as the beautiful Bill Peet stories. I quickly started reading chapter books like the Secrets of Droon. Recently, I finished the extensive Animorph series. The Library has different genres that allow me to choose many styles of entertainment. Some books are even on CD. I have a lot of fun reading or listening to these.
The Library is easy to use and helpful. A library card is easy to get. The Library has a great computer catalogue system that helps me find books quickly. The organized shelves make my search easier, and a librarian is always willing to help me. The useful receipts remind me of my checked out books.
The Library has helped me in many ways. I frequently use the Library for schoolwork, using their books as references for essays and book reports. The Library gives me good material for my schoolwork and is my number one source of information when I write reports. It is very nice to have the books for a few weeks. The Library has many different subjects, giving lots to write about in reports. The challenging books have made me a better reader. The Library also saves me money, because with the lending system, I can borrow books and not have to buy them.
The Library has touched my life because I see goodwill when they willingly let me borrow books. The helpfulness of the librarians has shown me to be helpful to others. The Library encourages other readers like me to become more informed and literate. The Library has really made my life happier and more enjoyable.
Mia Vodanovich
San Benito High School, junior
Words, more than anything, have the ability to change someone’s life.
I am a writer. As a writer, I know well that inspiration can come from any given place. One can get his inspiration from friends, family, and especially other writers. I am particularly inspired by a few books I’ve had the pleasure to check out of the San Benito County Library – specifically books such as It’s Kind of a Funny Story by Ned Vizzini and Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher.
It’s Kind of a Funny Story is one of the books that one can read and instantly connect with the speaker. In my life, I have noticed that connections with people, fictional or not, make substantial impacts on an attitude. At this particular time of my life, I was experiencing the same kind of damaging emotions as the quirky and witty protagonist, Craig Gilner, whose misadventures lead him to North Six Psychiatric Hospital. Books like It’s Kind of a Funny Story prove to the world that no, you aren’t alone; yes, there is hope for all the woebegone stragglers in society.
Thirteen Reasons Why deals with the tragedy of teen suicide and its effect on the surroundings of the afflicted victim. From the point of view of broken-hearted students Clay Jenkins, an entire world turns upside-down as his eyes finally begin to open as to why his almost-true love Hannah Baker chose to end her own life. A double-narrative, Hannah details in old-school cassette tapes the thirteen reasons (and all the people behind them) that life was no longer worth living, while Clay provides his painful input on his opinion of her death, wondering what he could possibly have to do with her suicide. This story distinctively called to me, as one who has been forced to mollify a close friend considering self-destruction. More than anything, this book has changed my perspective on life and why exactly it is worth living.
So I have you to thank, San Benito County Library, for leading me to the things that have saved me from my own insanity. Thank you, San Benito County Library. You are my best friend because you participated in keeping me stable. Thank you.
