Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District

As A Friend You Can Make A Difference By

The Friends can always use an extra pair of hands. If you have just a few hours to spare, we would appreciate your help.

Helping sort donated materials which will be stored for future sales.
Helping set up, staff, and clean up for Used Book Sales.
Assisting with special fundraising events.
Preparing membership campaign mailings.
Distributing Friends publicity to your family, friends, and neighbors.
Contacting prospective members and encouraging them to become active in the Friends.
Volunteering to work on special projects which enhance the quality of service at the library.

If you have comments, suggestions or questions, send an e-mail message to the Friends Liaison, Chris Gibson.

History

The Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District were founded in 1976 for the purpose of promoting library services and programs in the community. At that time, the library was located on Jenkins Court and seeking support for the expansion of library services in the rapidly growing communities of Wheeling and Buffalo Grove. The Friends began a series of used book sales to assist the library in purchasing needed equipment and materials. In 1981, the Indian Trails Public Library District building on Schoenbeck Road was opened and the Friends undertook a capital fundraising campaign to help furnish the new building.

In 1982, the Friends launched their first formal annual membership drive. During the ensuing years, the Friends have supported the library by sponsoring visits from children's authors, by purchasing materials for the foreign language and large print collections, by funding summer reading club and parade giveaways, and by assisting with surveys, long-range planning, and other special projects. To raise funds, the Friends sponsored Used Book Sales, an annual Book Review, Silent Auctions, special programs and much more.

In 1994, members of the Friends worked along with library trustees and patrons to win a building expansion and renovation referendum.

In October, 1998, the Friends donated $40,000 to the library for the expressed purpose of furnishing and equipping the Library Meeting Room and the Staff Lounge.

The newly expanded and remodeled building celebrated its Grand Re-Opening in November, 1998. During these ceremonies, the Friends were recognized for their continued support of the library.

Purpose

The Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District are an independent organization made up of patrons of the library district and others who assist the library in promoting library services to the villages of Wheeling, Buffalo Grove, and portions of the City of Prospect Heights.

The Friends support the library by:

raising awareness of library programs and services
presenting programs to promote library use
sponsoring fundraising activities
acting as liaisons to individuals and groups in the community
serving as library advocates in the community and at the local, state and federal levels

Executive Board

2007-2008 Officers

Sue Hart, President
Lucile Bernberg, Vice President
Calli DuSell, Treasurer
Marlene Falk, Secretary

Directors

Stephen Barack
Carol Perlowe
Joyce Romero
Esther (Billie) Slosberg
Judy Sommerfeld

Ex-Officio Members

Tamiye Meehan, Director of the Library
R. Christine Gibson, Liaison to the Library
Patrick Fleming, Membership

Duties of Officers

President -

Presides at all meetings; appoints all committees; keeps order; makes parliamentary decisions; votes as any other member in a ballot vote; leaves the chair to debate; represents the Friends at library and community events.

Vice-President -

Assists the President in planning important organizational business; reminds President of necessary business; assists the President in preparing and distributing the agenda; acts as an aide to the President and assumes the leadership role of the organization in the absence of the President.

Treasurer -

Acts as the custodian of all funds; receives, distributes, and records all funds, fees and dues; gives an itemized report of receipts and expenditures at business meetings; gives an itemized report at annual and special meetings.

Secretary -

Records the business of all meetings; keeps minutes and reads them at meetings; acts as custodian of records and papers; and sends notices of regular and special meetings.

Membership Chairperson -

Sends out dues notices; issues membership cards; and notifies President of members wishing to take an active role in the organization.

Used Book Sale Chairperson -

Plans upcoming used book sales; oversees inclusion on calendars and notices; oversees acceptance, sorting and storage of materials; sends notices to general membership; arranges for additional help in sorting materials and staffing the events; sends thank you's to helpers.

Publicity Chairperson -

Plans and distributes publicity for meetings, book sales, book reviews and other special events; oversees inclusion of information in library and local media outlets.

Library Liaison -

Coordinates Friends efforts with the library; attends meetings and communicates pertinent information between the library and the Friends; presents items for funding by the Friends; assists with Friends functions as needed.

Donations of Books

Donations of books are the lifeblood of the used book sales. Without books on a wide range of subjects, and a great variety of fiction, Friends sales could not be successful.

Please note that anyone may donate books.

Please also understand that the storage and display spaces are limited, as is our ability to dispose of unusable and unsold books. For these reasons, the following categories of materials are not wanted:

Textbooks
Magazines
Most nonfiction over 10 years old-but there are exceptions!
Materials that are torn, moldy, dirty, broken or in an other undesirable condition
Audiotapes and videotapes that are home-recorded or not in original containers
Computer software that requires a license to use
Encyclopedias older than five years

Small quantities of books may be placed in the locked drop box in the vestibule of the library. Larger quantities may be brought inside to the circulation counter.

You may request and receive an informal receipt for your books and other materials. However, the Friends of the Library cannot provide exact counts of large donations and cannot provide estimates of the value of donated materials. Please consult your tax accountant and Internal Revenue Service rules.

Used Book Sales

The Friends maintain a used book sale room which is located opposite the circulation desk area. Fiction and nonfiction, in hardback and paperback, and children's books are displayed for sale at prices beginning at 25 cents. Please check the price sheets posted in the room for the current prices.

Materials may be selected anytime the library is open.

Please pay for materials at the circulation desk.

The Friends hold four quarterly used book sales during the year :
January 18, 19 and 20, 2008
April 25, 26 and 27, 2008
July 18, 19 and 20, 2008
October 17, 18 and 19, 2008

Preview Night Hours are:	Fridays - 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
General Sale Hours are:	Saturdays - 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
	Sundays - 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Admission:	Admission on all days is free for members.
	Admission to the preview night is $3 per person for non-members (applicable towards membership during the current calendar year.)
	Numbered entry tickets will be available to members beginning at 3:30 P.M. on Friday.

Book Sale Links:
Book Sales In America
North Suburban Library System

Purchases

Proceeds from the Friends' used book sales and other fundraising activities are used to benefit the Indian Trails Public Library District. Purchases made by the Friends include items which will enhance library collections and services which the library could not otherwise afford.

Past purchases include:

furnishings for the new Library Meeting Room, large print books, audio-visual cart, English as a Second Language materials, materials in foreign languages, seating for the adult quiet reading area, large globe and Geochron world wall clock, furniture, stove, microwave and refrigerator for the staff lounge, two automatic external defibrillators (AEDs), and much more!

The Friends also donate funding to support the programs and on-going efforts of the library. Through the generous donations of the Friends, the following are funded on an annual basis:

summer parade floats, the annual Fall Book Review for adult audiences, books for Adult Services, Youth Services and Outreach Services, prizes for the Summer Reading Club.

Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District

Membership

Membership in the Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District is open to all adults wishing to join. It is not necessary to reside in the District to be a member. Members are encouraged to attend monthly board meetings and to actively participate in the sales and other projects. The dates of meetings are listed in the flyer that contains the membership application form, and are published in the quarterly library newsletter that is mailed to all residents of the district.

To be eligible to vote on motions made during official board meetings, a person must be a member of the Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District in good standing, i.e., the person must have paid his or her dues for the current year, and must be present at the meeting.

The membership year begins on January 1 and ends on December 31.

Applications for membership may be made in person during any book sale, by leaving a completed membership application form and payment of dues at the library; by mailing a completed membership application form and payment of dues to the library. The form is available at the library.

Click here to apply online.

Membership application forms for the renewal of membership are sent to all members near the end of the year. If a member fails to receive the form, he or she should call the library to request a form or obtain one at the library.

Your membership card is your admission ticket to "members' only preview night sales;" however, proper identification and verification of membership status from the membership list will allow members without their cards to be admitted to the preview sales.

The dues schedule, which is subject to change, is now:

Individual membership: $3 per person
Family membership: $6 per family (includes children living at home, under 18 years of age)

Memberships may be paid by mail, in-person at the library or online

Donations of any amount may be added to your membership fee payment and are appreciated.

Meetings

Meetings are held from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in the Library Meeting Room on the third Thursday of the month. Prospective members and the general public are invited to attend. Upcoming meetings are:

January 17, 2008
February 21, 2008
March 20, 2008
April 17, 2008
May 15, 2008
June, 2008 - No meeting.
July, 2008 - No meeting.
August 21, 2008
September 18, 2008
October 16, 2008
November 20, 2008
December, 2008 - No meeting.

If you need assistance to attend Friends' meetings, book sales or book reviews, please contact the library at least 48 hours in advance.

Annual Book Reviews

To promote reading and a knowledge of current popular literature throughout the community, the Friends sponsor Spring and Fall Book Reviews. Please join us for:

Title:	To Be Announced
Reviewer:	To Be Announced
Date:	To Be Announced
Time:	To Be Announced
Location:	The Large Meeting Room of the Indian Trails Public Library District
Address:	355 S. Schoenbeck Road, Wheeling, IL 60090
Registration:	Required.
Limit:	75 adults
Telephone:	847-459-4100
Admission:	Free

Refreshments Will Be Served

Friends E-News

To have notices of Friends Used Book Sales and other activities e-mailed directly to you, please enter your e-mail address in the field below and click 'Sign Up!'.

Bylaws of the Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District

Article I - Name

The name of this organization shall be FRIENDS OF THE INDIAN TRAILS PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT (serving Wheeling and Buffalo Grove.)

Article II - Purpose

The purpose of this organization shall be to maintain an association of persons interested in libraries to stimulate the use of the Library's resources and services; to receive and encourage gifts, endowments and bequests to the Library; to support and cooperate with the Library in developing library services and facilities for the community; to support the established policies of the Library Board; (to lend legislative support where needed) and to support the freedom to read as expressed in the American Library Association Bill of Rights.

Article III - Membership

Section 1 - Membership in this organization shall be open to all individuals interested in its purpose.

Section 2 - Each member of voting age shall be entitled to one vote.

Article IV - Executive Board

The governing body of the organization shall be the Executive Board, which shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer (officers) and five Directors. Ex-officio members of the Executive Board shall be: Administrative Librarian, Staff Liaison, Past President of the Friends Group, and Chairmen of all standing committees.

Article V - Duties and Authorizations of the Executive Board

Section 1 - President

To preside over and conduct meetings and to appoint all committees with the advice and consent of the Executive Board and be an ex-officio member thereof.
To approve the expenditures of money by the Treasurer; to call meetings of the Executive Board when necessary; to appoint an Audit Committee at least one month before the Annual Meeting.

Section 2 - Vice President

To perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President and to promote actively the interests of the organization.

Section 3 - Secretary

To keep the minutes of the meetings of the organization and of the Executive Board; to conduct the correspondence of the organization.

Section 4 - Treasurer

To keep all accounts of the organization; to be custodian of the funds from whatever source; to pay all bills approved by the President of the Executive Board; to make a report of receipts and disbursements at each meeting; to make an audited report at the Annual Meeting.

Section 5 - Directors

To attend the meetings of the Executive Board and to aid in formulating policies of the organization.

Section 6 - The Executive Board shall have the authority to fill vacancies occurring on the Board of Directors of Officers.

Section 7 - The Executive Board shall have the authority to appoint committees consistent with the purposes of this organization.

Section 8 - The Executive Board shall have the authority to approve bills at regular or called meetings.

Section 9 - The Executive Board shall have the authority, at its discretion, to set up classes of memberships, e.g., family memberships, junior memberships, sustaining memberships.

Section 10 - The Executive Board shall at all times be supportive of the interests, policies, views and decisions of the Friends of the Indian Trails Public Library District, and the Indian Trails Public Library District Board. Should any member of the Executive Board wish to express publicly an opposing or conflicting opinion regarding the interest, policies, views and decisions of either Board, it will be necessary for such Board member to receive permission from the Executive Board to do so. If permission is not granted and the Board member still desires to express publicly the opposing or conflicting opinion, then the member must resign from the Executive Board.

Article VI - Meetings

Section 1 - An Annual Meeting of the membership shall be held in the month of May or June, to be determined by the Executive Board. Members shall be notified in writing at least two weeks prior to the meeting day. The Audit Committee shall report at this meeting.

Section 2 - A Special Meeting of the organization may be called at any time by the Executive Board.

Section 3 - Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held quarterly. Special meetings may be called by the President or on concurrence of three members of the Executive Board.

Section 4 - A majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

Article VII - Elections

Section 1 - The Executive Board shall be nominated by the Nominating Committee at least one month before the Annual Meeting. Additional nominations may be made from the floor with the consent of the nominee.

Section 2 - The Nominating Committee shall be three members appointed by the President with the approval of the Executive Board. Two members shall be of said Executive Board.

Section 3 - The Executive Board shall be elected by a majority vote of those present at the Annual Meeting for the term of one year, and shall not be eligible to the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

Article VIII - Dues

Dues shall be payable annually and shall become due on the day of the Annual Membership Meeting. There may be classes of dues set by the Executive Board for various classes of membership.

Article IX - Amendments

Amendments or revisions to these bylaws may be made at any meeting of the general membership by a vote of two-thirds of those present, after notifications in writing to each member at least two weeks prior to the meeting at which voting is to take place.

Article X - Parliamentary Procedure

Robert's Rules of Order Revised, when not in conflict with these bylaws, shall govern the proceedings of this organization.