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Friends of the Newark Free Library records

Notifications

Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
MSS 0592
Repository:
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Extent:
4 linear foot (4 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
MSS 0592, Friends of the Newark Free Library records, Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware.
Date:
1966-2009 (inclusive)
Creator:
Friends of the Newark Free Library (Newark, Del.)
Form:
correspondence, Clippings (information artifacts), Ephemera (general), Newsletters, Minutes (administrative records), Financial records, Publications (document genre), and Programs (documents)
Abstract:
The records of the Friends of the Newark Free Library in Newark, Delaware, include correspondence, newsletters, financial records, and other material documenting the organization and activities of the group.

The Friends of the Newark Free Library was formally organized on March 24, 1966. Approximately one hundred charter members created the friends group to "promote knowledge and understanding of the functions, resources, services and needs of the library; to encourage gifts, endowments, and bequests to the library; and to help the library develop its services and facilities for the Newark community."

The organizational meeting in 1966 reflected the efforts of four Newark women: Miriam Willis, Mae Carter, Marjorie Purcell, and Carmen Nelson. During the year prior they visited libraries in Maryland and Pennsylvania, studied literature on libraries, and were assisted by a League of Women Voters study of the Newark Library. The formation of the Friends group presented the best solution to assisting the library.

Since 1966 the Friends of the Newark Free Library have offered financial support as well as volunteer labor to enhance the services of the Newark Library. The Friends have raised funds for a variety of projects and programs. A substantial fundraising effort was needed for the restoration of "The Student," a life-size outdoor sculpture created by Charles Park which graces the entrance of the Library.

The Friends assist with children's programs by providing incentives for the summer reading programs and initiating book give-aways for children. In addition the Friends of the Newark Library coordinate art displays for the library and sponsor musical programs at the library. Books for the book study groups, laptop computers for teaching, and maintaining the photocopy machines for use by library patrons are additional resources and services made available by the organization.

Friends of the Newark Free Library webpage. http://www.friendsofthenewarkfreelibrary.webs.com (accessed March 12, 2009)."The Founding of the Friends of the Newark Free Library," speech given by Carmen Nelson on May 4, 1986, to mark the 20th anniversary of the organization. (MSS 592 Box 1 F1)

The records of the Friends of the Newark Free Library in Newark, Delaware, include correspondence, newsletters, financial records, and other material documenting the organization and activities of the group. The four linear feet of material comprise records for the years 1966 to 2009. The Friends group continues to add historical records to the collection.

These records document the organizational life of a Newark volunteer group and illustrate this group's contributions to the intellectual and social life of the community. The financial and volunteer support provided by the Friends of the Newark Library is detailed in the correspondence, complete sets of minutes and newsletters, and financial documents in the collection.

The first series of the collection comprises documents which offer a narrative of the history of the Friends of the Newark Library from its inception in 1966.

The second series documents the organizational life of the group. In this series are found Board and committee minutes and reports, financial records and budgets, publicity files, and records of the Friends affiliations with local, state, and national organizations and agencies. This series overlaps with the third series, Activities, Projects, Programs and Events. Information about and planning for the events and programs sponsored by the Friends of the Newark Free Library are evident in the minutes and reports.

The third series consists of the Friends of the Newark Free newsletters and files related to specific activities, programs, projects, or events. For example there are substantial files regarding the fundraising and work toward renovating the Charles Park sculpture, "The Student."

  1. Boxes 1-4: Shelved in SPEC MSS record center cartons

Gift of the Friends of the Newark Free Library, 2009.

Processed and encoded by Anita Wellner, March 2009.

Organization
Subject
Place

Publisher
University of Delaware Library Special Collections
Finding Aid Author
University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
Finding Aid Date
2009 March 12
Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections Department, University of Delaware Library, https://library.udel.edu/static/purl.php?askspec

Collection Inventory

Founding, 1966-1986.
Box 1 Folder F1
Early files, 1967-1968.
Box 1 Folder F2
Design of seal.
Box 1 Folder F3
History of the Newark Library by Jane Tripp, 2001.
Box 1 Folder F4
FONFL 1966-1976 notebook, 1966-1976.
Box 1 Folder F5
FONFL 1976-1985 notebook, 1976-1985.
Box 1 Folder F6

Board orientation, 1984-1988.
Box 1 Folder F7
Correspondence, 1966-1974.
Box 1 Folder F8
Correspondence, 1975-1980.
Box 1 Folder F9
Correspondence, 1982-1986.
Box 1 Folder F10
Correspondence, 1988-1998.
Box 1 Folder F11
Correspondence, 1997-2002.
Box 1 Folder F12
Gifts to Friends of Newark Library, 1967-1974.
Box 1 Folder F13
Minutes, 1966-1986.
Box 1 Folder F14
Minutes, 1992-1996.
Box 1 Folder F15
Minutes, 1997-2002.
Box 1 Folder F16
Membership Committee, 1974-1986.
Box 1 Folder F17
Membership Committee, 1985-1988.
Box 1 Folder F18
Membership Committee, 1989-2001.
Box 1 Folder F19
Publicity, 1968-1999.
Box 1 Folder F20
Newspaper clippings, 1970-1998.
Box 2 Folder F21
Publications, 1967-1974.
Box 2 Folder F22
Treasurer's Notebook, 2000-2002.
Box 2 Folder F23
Scope and Contents

Notebook assembled by Treasurer Mary Herr

Tax Status - Internal Revenue Service, 1971-2000.
Box 2 Folder F24
1999 Audit, 1999.
Box 2 Folder F25
Treasurer's reports and budgets, 1967-1987.
Box 2 Folder F26
Treasurer's reports and budgets, 1987-1998.
Box 2 Folder F27
Banking statements, checks, etc., 1997-1999.
Box 2 Folder F28
Banking statements, checks, etc., 1998.
Box 2 Folder F29
Banking statements, checks, etc., 1999.
Box 2 Folder F30
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2000.
Box 2 Folder F31
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2000.
Box 2 Folder F32
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2001.
Box 2 Folder F33
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2001.
Box 2 Folder F34
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2002.
Box 2 Folder F35
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2003.
Box 2 Folder F36
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2003.
Box 2 Folder F37
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2004.
Box 2 Folder F38
Banking statements, checks, etc., 2004-2005.
Box 2 Folder F39
Library Commission appointments, 1966-1980.
Box 3 Folder F40
Library Advisory Board, 1980-1982.
Box 3 Folder F41
Library - County State, 1972-1985.
Box 3 Folder F42
New Castle County government, 1985-1994.
Box 3 Folder F43
County Friends group, 1986.
Box 3 Folder F44
Long Range Plans, 1983-1993.
Box 3 Folder F45
Long Range Plans, 1994-1997.
Box 3 Folder F46
Long Range Plans, 1990-2001.
Box 3 Folder F47
Newark Library expansion, 2000-2001.
Box 3 Folder F48
Delaware Division of Libraries, 1974-1980.
Box 3 Folder F49
Delaware Division of Libraries, 1986-1992.
Box 3 Folder F50
Humphry report, 1966.
Box 3 Folder F51
Loessner reports, 1996.
Box 3 Folder F52
Delaware Public Libraries statistics, 2000.
Box 3 Folder F53
Legislation, 1966-1990.
Box 3 Folder F54
National Friends groups, 1984-1987.
Box 3 Folder F55
American Library Association, 1986-1987.
Box 3 Folder F56

1966-1983.
Box 3 Folder F57
1984-1993.
Box 3 Folder F58
1994-1999.
Box 3 Folder F59
2000-2009.
Box 3 Folder F60
Ideas and project proposals, 1979-1999.
Box 4 Folder F61
3 ½-5 Years Story Time, 1970-1985.
Box 4 Folder F62
Annual dinners, 1979-2002.
Box 4 Folder F63
Special events, 1982-1999.
Box 4 Folder F64
Plato terminal, 1985.
Box 4 Folder F65
Summer reading programs, 1985-1988.
Box 4 Folder F66
Adult programs, 1986-1998.
Box 4 Folder F67
Book Sale, 1989-1999.
Box 4 Folder F68
Community Day, 1995.
Box 4 Folder F69
The Student, 1997-1998.
Box 4 Folder F70
The Student, 1998-1999.
Box 4 Folder F71
Books for Prisons, 2001.
Box 4 Folder F72

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