Michael Scharf

Calling all FOLs
May 9, 2007

My Brooklyn neighborhood is served by a small, riotproof, cinderblock library that has a meeting room in the back.

Through the auspices of the Poetry Project of St. Mark's, I've been leading a group there --- The "First Tuesdays" Poetry Discussion Group. Its goal is to get people reading poetry, and to get people from an intensely red-lined neighborhood talking to each other.

It meets once a month on the one evening that the library is open late: Tuesdays. They clear the decks at 7:45 for an 8pm close, and I write on the fliers that "discussion starts" at 6:30. It gives us an hour-plus, tops.

Attendance has been not-completely-abysmal for a new project, but I don't think most people are home from work and ready for an evening event by 6:30 (are they?).

Interestingly, though, even if I get a grant, I can't pay to keep the doors open later. I was told by the powers that be that the majestic Brooklyn Central Library, which is far away and decidely not a neighborhood place, might better suit the group's needs if we need different hours.

Central won't work for this.  And to move the group to another local site would be, I think, a loss for the library.

My local Friends of Libraries chapter has, I think, two members, and is currently, I believe, unaffiliated with the national Friends of Libraries organization. Has anyone drawn on the latter's muscle? Thanks for any tips re: scheduling, negotiating, hanging in...

Posted by Michael Scharf on May 9, 2007 | Comments (0)