Newspaper clippings · September 17, 2009
Friends celebrate fifty years of support
Eric Michael Stitt article in The Beach Reporter surveys the organization's history and contributions. The superlatives and totals are the article's own.
Names in this record: Patricia Gazin is Pat Gazin.
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Friends of the Library celebrates 50 years
by Eric Michael Stitt
Hermosa Beach's Friends of the Library is celebrating 50 years of supporting the library through its donations of books, money and other vital essentials.
When the late Patricia Gazin founded the group in September of 1959, it was the first of its kind in Los Angeles County, said her surviving husband, Myron Gazin. His wife held the first Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library meeting in their living room with 15 members half a century ago. Now the organization is 120 members strong.
To celebrate the group's golden year, a party will take place at the library Sept. 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to thank the current and past members for their support.
Patricia Gazin was the first Hermosa Beach mayor and served on the City Council for eight years in the 1960s, he said, adding the English major and former journalist got a tremendous amount of joy watching the community support its public library through her Friends of the Library.
"It's beautifully managed," Gazin said of the group. "They're still giving and doing what they're supposed to do. It's pleasing to me. I'm totally impressed."
The Friends of the Library has book sales on Mondays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. from its Bard Street Bookstore located at 1309 Bard St. in Hermosa Beach to bring in the money it donates to the library. Most of the group's funding comes from those weekly sales, said current Friends of the Library president Dorothy Yost.
She said they're able to raise up to $25,000 a year, and more than $500,000 to date, according to the group's Web site. That money helps provide such necessities as computer equipment, guest readers and performers, the summer reading program, snacks, DVDs and CDs, and magazine subscriptions that would otherwise not be paid for because of the county's limited library fund, she said.
At the 50-year celebration, Friends of the Library will be giving away two reference desks to be used in the library, Yost said. There will also be refreshments and appetizers for all who attend.
"We'd like everyone to come and see the library," Yost said. "We'd like everyone to come."
Library manger Elmita Brown said Friends of the Library has given them so much support throughout the years when the county couldn't provide anymore.
"They're the greatest," Brown said. "They're been supportive to all our needs. They've provided so much support so we can function efficiently."
Brown said the entire community benefits from Friends of the Library's efforts and they're proud to serve Hermosa Beach with the group's constant help.
Naoma Valdez, who was a founding
The Beach Reporter • September 17, 2009 • 13
Birthday bash at H.B. library
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member, said it's wonderful to see Gazin's vision continue to grow every year. She said now Friends of the Library groups are all over the nation and she's looking forward to celebrating Hermosa Beach's 50 years of existence.
"I'm very happy to see how they've grown and prospered," Valdez said. "It's a marvelous group of individuals. We couldn't get by without them."
For more information on the Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library, visit www.hbfol.org.
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Friends of the Library celebrates 50 years by Eric Michael Stitt ers and performers, the summer reading program, snacks, DVDs and CDs, and Hermosa Beach's Friends of the Li- magazine subscriptions that would other- brary is celebrating 50 years of supporting wise not be paid for because of the the library through its donations of books, county's limited library fund, she said. money and other vital essentials. At the 50-year celebration, Friends of When the late Patricia Gazin founded the Library will be giving away two refer- the group in September of 1959, it was ence desks to be used in the library, Yost the first of its kind in Los Angeles said. There will also be refreshments and County, said her surviving husband, appetizers for all who attend. Myron Gazin. His wife held the first "We'd like everyone to come and see Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library the library," Yost said. "We'd like every- meeting in their living room with 15 one to come." members half a century ago. Now the or- Library manger Elmita Brown said ganization is 120 members strong Friends of the Library has given them so To celebrate the group's golden year, a much support throughout the years when party will take place at the library the county couldn't provide anymore. Sept. 26, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. to thank "They're the greatest," Brown said the current and past members for their "They're been supportive to all our needs. support. They've provided so much support so we Patricia Gazin was the first Hermosa can function efficiently." Beach mayor and served on the City Coun Brown said the entire community bene- cil for eight years in the 1960s, he said, fits from Friends of the Library's efforts adding the English major and former jour- and they're proud to serve Hermosa nalist got a tremendous amount of joy Beach with the group's constant help. watching the community support its pub- Naoma Valdez, who was a founding lic library through her Friends of the Library. The Beach Reporter ? September 17, 2009 ? 13 "It's beautifully managed," Gazin said Birthday bash at H.B. library of the group. "They're still giving and doing what they're supposed to do. It's (Continued from previous page) pleasing to me. I'm totally impressed." The Friends of the Library has book member, said it's wonderful to see sales on Mondays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Gazin's vision continue to grow every from its Bard Street Bookstore located at year. She said now Friends of the Library 1309 Bard St. in Hermosa Beach to bring groups are all over the nation and she's in the money it donates to the library. looking forward to celebrating Hermosa Beach's 50 years of existence. Most of the group's funding comes from grown and prospered," Valdez said. "It's a marvelous group of individuals. We couldn't get by without them." For more information on the Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library, visit www.hbfol.org those weekly sales, said current Friends of "I'm very happy to see how they've the Library president Dorothy Yost. She said they're able to raise up to 25,000 a year, and more than $500,000 ? date, according to the group's Web site. That money helps provide such neces- amazonbasics ties as computer equipment, guest read-