Support Groups

ATHENS-CLARKE COUNTY LIBRARY

1. Endowment
2. Friends of the Library
3. Volunteers
4. Community Service Workers

These are groups whose purpose is to support and aid the library. The Friends of the Library and the Endowment are incorporated as separate 501(c)3 entities and are governed by separate boards. Designated members of the Athens-Clarke County Library Board of Trustees serve as officers of the Endowment and a library board trustee is appointed to serve as liaison to the Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library.

1. Friends of the Library
   The Friends of Athens-Clarke County Library, Inc. is organized for charitable and educational purposes to solicit, receive and transmit funds to the local library board for its use in providing facilities, materials and other items needed by any library existing under its authority; to promote public awareness of any such library and its needs; to aid and assist in the operations of any such library; and to generally undertake such activity as promotes and advances such library and facilitates the goals and objectives of said library board.In order to carry out such purposes the FOL corporation shall have all of the powers set forth in the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code.
2. Endowment
   The Athens-Clarke County Library Endowment Fund, Inc. is dedicated exclusively to the support of the Athens-Clarke County Library in the form of materials purchases. The Endowment will raise funds from public donations and fundraising activities to establish an investment corpus. Income from the corpus will be used either to purchase materials for the Library’s collection or make grants to the Library for the exclusive purpose of purchasing materials. The Endowment board of directors will develop an operating plan to obtain gifts and businesses in the community. The primary objective is to receive direct gifts, but the Endowment from time to time will sponsor fundraising activities such as charity auctions, concerts, balls, etc. The fundraising will be conducted by the directors and officers of the Endowment and volunteers and will principally be done in Athens-Clarke County.
3. Volunteers
   As library services increase, (resulting in increase in staff workloads) and paid staff remains at a fixed level, the library must come to rely more heavily upon dependable volunteer staff. However, volunteers will not be expected to replace paid staff positions. There are several areas for library volunteer opportunities. The Library Store is a cooperative project of the Athens-Clarke County Library and the friends board. The purpose of the store is to raise funds to assist with the purchasing of library materials and the sponsoring of programs. To do this, the store will sell donated books, discarded library materials, promotional items, educational toys, and gifts similar to those carried in museum and other library gift shops. Primarily items will relate to reading and to promote awareness of the numerous resources available at the library. All proceeds directly benefit the Athens-Clarke County Library. The Library Store is a member of the Museum Store Association. The circulation area of the library offers opportunities to shelve books, read and straighten shelves, sort and file periodicals and file patron applications. Training is provided. Volunteers who are bi-lingual or would like to help overcome literacy are needed as tutors in the English-as-a-Second-Language Program and/or the Literacy Program. Again, training is provided by the staff of the learning center. The Special Needs Center serves print-handicapped (visually, physically or reading disabled)patrons. Volunteers are needed to check-in and shelve cassettes and disk books, read newspapers on tape, and assist with other details of service. Volunteers are also needed in other areas of the library and for special events such as the Friends of the Athens-Clarke County Library Book Sale and Family Fun Day. Volunteers play a crucial role in the success of all these activities.
4. Community Service Workers
   All community service workers must make contact with the designated community service supervisor prior to beginning work. The supervisor will determine if workers are needed at the time; the Library has no obligation to accept all applicants, and will accept only those who can be effectively supervised and usefully employed. Repeat offenders will be considered under the same guidelines as first-time workers; they must contact the supervisor, and may or may not be accepted for additional hours. All community service workers must be trained by the supervisor. Instruction must be completed prior to beginning work. Workers must check in/sign in for each work shift, and notify a staff member of their presence. Workers must provide the supervisor with probation officers name and telephone number, number of hours of work required, and the type of offense committed. Workers should bring a copy of their court orders to the Library Supervisor. Community service workers may not bring family, friends or children with them to the work site during hours worked. The Library supervisor may discontinue a workers service at any time if work is unacceptable or ceases to be of benefit to the library. Any questions concerning the work must be directed to the supervisor, branch manager or other librarian on duty.

4/14/98

Athens Regional Library System

1. Friends of the Library
2. Volunteers
3. Community Service Workers

These are groups whose purpose is to support and aid the library. The Friends of the Library groups are incorporated as separate 501(c)3 entities and are governed by separate boards. Designated members of the respective Library Board of Trustees may serve as liaisons to the Friends groups.

1. Friends of the Library
   The Friends of the Library in affiliated counties are organized for charitable and educational purposes to solicit, receive and transmit funds to the local library board for its use in providing facilities, materials and other items needed by any library existing under its authority; to promote public awareness of any such library and its needs; to aid and assist in the operations of any such library; and to generally undertake such activity as promotes and advances such library and facilitates the goals and objectives of said library board. In order to carry out such purposes the FOL corporation shall have all of the powers set forth in the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code.
2. Volunteers
   As library services increase, (resulting in increase in staff workloads) and paid staff remains at a fixed level, the library must come to rely more heavily upon dependable volunteer staff. However, volunteers will not be expected to replace paid staff positions. There are several areas for library volunteer opportunities and some training may be required.
3. Community Service Workers
   All community service workers must make contact with the designated community service supervisor prior to beginning work. The supervisor will determine if workers are needed at the time; the Library has no obligation to accept all applicants, and will accept only those who can be effectively supervised and usefully employed. Repeat offenders will be considered under the same guidelines as first-time workers; they must contact the supervisor, and may or may not be accepted for additional hours.

All community service workers must be trained by the supervisor. Instruction must be completed prior to beginning work. Workers must check in/sign in for each work shift, and notify a staff member of their presence. Workers must provide the supervisor with probation officers name and telephone number, number of hours of work required, and the type of offense committed. Workers should bring a copy of their court orders to the Library Supervisor.

Community service workers may not bring family, friends or children with them to the work site during hours worked.

The Library supervisor may discontinue a workers service at any time if work is unacceptable or ceases to be of benefit to the library.

Any questions concerning the work must be directed to the supervisor, branch manager or other librarian on duty.

4/16/98