First Friday Coffee

Well, back to my catching up. KR from the development department asked if I would be interested in hosting the First Friday Coffee for B, Missouri's chamber of commerce meeting. They come about 7:30, eat breakfast, and some one does a short informal program. So they came the first Friday in February. We told them of the goings on at our library, some of the accomplishments in recent times, what we have to offer and how they could take advantage of our academic library in their community.

It was a very good opportunity for networking. Out of that meeting, I made two contacts. One I have yet to follow up on. But the other one was a local fellow, KS, who has a digital business. He transfers data from an old media to new, & he does digital photography - stills and movies, including commercials. So, "long-story-short" he came back near the end of February. We had gotten our new shelves in place in a new room in preperations for a book sale; had our books all in place and some student volunteers for actors. He did some filming and put together a 15 second and a 30 second commercial. A "rep" from the local TV station, when he reviewed the commercial, wanted to know how we were able to get "all those people"! We only had about 12 that were involved. But it was done in such a way that it did look like more than that.

It was a fun experience, something I had never done. But it didn't bring in the results that we wanted. If we do that again next year, I think we'll have to be more specific about the times the commercials are run. In the middle of the night doesn't get many folks. Running them with a bunch of other college ads didn't help it stand out, either. But you always learn by experience.


"Friends of the Library" (FOL)
We have been trying for about 4 years now to revive the FOL for this library. I think this year we hit upon a success. We had a dinner, catered in the library, the first day of our annual book sale. In fact that first day was a private sale to the FOL members only. We also had a big draw for a speaker, an alum who had spent about 20 years in Ecuador, translating the New Testament into the Quichua language. We also honored a gentleman who has long supported the FOL and been very active in the past. Also, we honored 8 authors who are alumni of the college. It turned out to be the best and most successful thing we have done yet. So we are thrilled.

We were able to get the new tables and chairs for the library just in time for the dinner, table sets bought with some of the insurance money from the storm that happened in June. (See earlier blogs.) The tables and chairs look wonderful. They are wooden, and all matching. We look so much more academic. (We had had some chairs for so long, that they would fit right it with the new retro' look from the 70's. (Yuck)) We are encouraged now, to use this form of a meeting to bring folks in. Nothing else before had work, but this did. So - we'll try it again and hope it works - again!