Dear Friends,
The Board of Directors met during Leadership Weekend in September to
consider a plan developed by Julia Emlen to expand the Friends of the
Library membership and programs. The Friends will seek to increase its
membership among key constituencies and develop a wider variety of events
to involve the community in the Friends of the Library. The goal of
the expansion is to increase the visibility of the Friends and heighten
recognition of the Library's role as a critical element of President
Simmons' new academic enrichment program.
A key element to achieving this plan is the hiring of our new Friends
of the Library Coordinator. It is my pleasure to welcome Christy Law
Blanchard to the Friends. Christy joined us in September and is hard
at work with our holiday cards, membership, special events and public
relations. Some of you may have had the opportunity to meet her at one
of our recent events, such as the Carberry Dinner at the Brown Faculty
Club, the lecture in New York City by Professor Gordon Wood or the talk
by University Curator Robert Emlen at the Annmary Brown Memorial on
campus.
Christy comes to the Friends with over a decade of public relations
experience, having most recently served as Director of Communications
for Save The Bay in Providence. She earned her M.S. in Public Relations
from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University
and her B.A. from Colby College in Maine. She periodically guest lectures
for public relations classes at Simmons College in Boston and is a part-time
faculty member with the University of Phoenix Online, where she teaches
written communications.
The Friends of the Library office is now located in the Annmary Brown
Memorial at 21 Brown Street (between George and Charlesfield Streets).
If you happen to be on campus, I hope you will take the opportunity
to stop by the Memorial to meet Christy and view the beautiful paintings
and sword collection that are housed there.
And finally, as the holidays draw near, please consider giving the gift
of
membership
to the Friends. We will acknowledge your gift by sending the recipient
a special "Welcome to the Friends of the Library" package that explains
the benefits of membership and from whom the membership was given. We
have included the gift membership form on the last page of this newsletter
for your convenience. You may use it to give membership gifts and/or
renew your membership with us this year, if you have not already had
the chance to do so. We appreciate your continued support.
Sincerely,
Fraser Lang
