The Friends of St. Thomas Public Libraries (FOSTPL) celebrated 28 years of community service at its annual meeting, held Saturday at the Enid M. Baa Public Library.  In attendance were the board, members, and honored guests UVI Bookstore Manager Mervin V. Taylor and Territorial Director of Libraries, Archives and Museums Ingrid A. Bough, JD. The Mistress and Master of Ceremonies were Dr. Patricia Harkins-Pierre and Jorge J. (JJ) Estemac, who moved the program briskly along, engaging the audience with their enthusiasm and repartee.  Acting as Secretary, Bonnie Braga recounted the events of the previous annual meeting, at which Bough had wowed the gathering with her plans for the territory and the progress of the St. Thomas Regional Library and Records Center (Tutu Library).

The financial report was shared by Lisa LaPlace-Knight, and the annual report by FOSTPL President Judy King-Edmeade outlined a variety of ongoing activities supported by FOSTPL, in concert with the staff of the Enid M. Baa Public Library and dedicated volunteers such as the Summer Reading Program, Hospital Library Cart, and Reading on the Green.  A new initiative for FOSTPL is the “Gathering of Friends”, showcasing local authors and storytellers, which took place in October at the Baa Library.   Her presentation was dynamic and filled with gratitude for the many volunteers, staff, officials, and sponsors who serve and give so tirelessly each year.

Dr. Harkins-Pierre continued this theme by recognizing the volunteers who are crucial to the continuation of the Hospital Library Cart and the Day Care Literacy Program.  JJ Estemac introduced board members, and those up for re-election (Anita Davis, Angela Belfon, Bonnie Braga, Harkins-Pierre, and Cynthia Richards) signaled their collective acceptance of their nominations.   Prospective board members Rachelle D. Shells, Samantha Richardson, and Penny Woods were unanimously voted in (the latter two, in absentia) with the slate of  incumbents.

Special guest speaker Mervin V. Taylor, as Manager of the UVI Bookstore, invited the Friends to assist with encouraging more reading for pleasure by young adults at the University.  He also indicted that a Memorandum of Understanding is underway to facilitate meaningful discounts for FOSTPL members at the bookstore, which not only features textbooks, but computers, electronics, and best sellers.  He also mentioned that he would like to see more community involvement including book signings at the store.  This was met with cheers and a response from King-Edmeade that FOSTPL would meet the challenge and in fact had already begun to reach out to the UVI Library Science division.

The keynote speaker was Territorial Director of Libraries, Archives and Museums Ingrid A. Bough, JD.  The lighthearted spirit with which she deftly outlined a plethora of successfully-met goals of the past year belied the intensity of focused effort required to meet the many challenges moving the territory’s library system forward in the face of a flagging economy, staffing needs,  overall library challenges, and the progress of the current construction of the new library in Tutu.  Bough thanked Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR)’s Library Consultant Claudette Lewis for overseeing the capital improvement projects for all the libraries, now including the new St. Thomas Regional Library.  Bough considers it an honor to be able to serve in her capacity as Territorial Director towards the realization of the legacy of the new library.  She shared the floor briefly with Territorial Coordinator for the Archives Susan Laura Lugo, who gave an update on efforts to preserve social and historical in the territory.  Among the staggering list of noted accomplishments for 2009 were the outreach participation of St. Thomas and St. Croix Bookmobiles, launch of a new library website for the division, the launch of the Bookmobile Pilot Prison Program, participation in the annual National Book Festival, and positioning the territory as the first U.S. territory to have a “Center for the Book” :  The Virgin Islands Center for the Book is an affiliate of the Library of Congress’ Center for the Book.

Following remarks and questions from the floor, the meeting was adjourned to refreshments enjoyed on the gallery, where the meeting had taken place.  FOSTPL would like to thank its members, board and officers, Victor’s New Hideout, Pita Express/Amalie Café, Dockside Books, and its registered members and supporters, as well as participants and program attendees who have been a part of 2009, a year of innovation and progress for the organization.