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Chief Librarian The Friends of West Vancouver Memorial Library were pleased to welcome to our May 28 meeting our new Chief Librarian, Ann Goodhart, and to extend to her a very warm welcome to our community and the Library "family" of which The Friends are proud to be part. Although .Ann had only been with the Library for barely over week, she was able to update us on all the important issues. We look forward to Ann joining our meetings in the future. Membership We are pleased to welcome to the Friends the following new members who have recently joined us: Grete Blum Ann Goodhart Sean Hayto (junior member) Michael Markwick Carole McKnight Lotte Merchant-Jaslowitz Lauren Mulholland John Oswald Linda Suss Mei Wen Tseng Juanita Tupper Welcome to the Friends, and we look forward to meeting you, perhaps at the Book Sale and \ or at one of the monthly' meetings. Ann Goodhart is, of course, our Chief Librarian and Juanita Tupper is the Member of the Library's Board who regularly attends our meetings as Board Liaison Spokesperson to bring us up to date with all that is happening at the Board level. Thank you, both, for formally joining our society. Our Membership Secretary, Betsy Lee, who has worked so diligently and loyally in this capacity, would like to relinquish her duties. We would like volunteers for this role. Please 'phone Eileen de Bues to discuss. Library / Board Liaison Report Jack's Farewell Jack Mounce's retirement party on May 15, hosted and catered by an organising committee of four - Board Member Joan Creighton, Friends' President Eileen de Bues, Volunteer Manager Anne Graves, and Library Foundation Member Faye McMyn, was extremely well attended by Board Members, Staff Volunteers, Friends and representatives from the Municipality, including the Mayor and former Mayor Mark Sager. In her opening remarks, Board Chair Barbara Cupit mentioned the various other farewell events that had been held for Jack, including the Friends' reception on April 23 at which our own special presentation gifts were made. Budget Situation In his reply address on May 15, Jack mentioned the severity of the budget cuts, which are 3% for 1997 and 5.1% for 1998. He stated that he quite understood the necessity for the cuts but hoped that all the Library "family" would be able to make Council realise that the Library is too important for such drastic reductions. The Friends, who are the "offspring" of the group that, earlier this century, campaigned and fought for the building of the Library, will be looking at ways into which we may help to achieve this goal. One of the major effects on the Friends of the budget cuts is that the summer Sunday closings commenced at the end of May -rather than the traditional date of June end - until after Thanksgiving - which means that the Library will be closed on the second day of our book sale -Sunday, June 22.