The MIFOL's book closet is bursting at the seams.

Sherri Stanley has scheduled a boxing party for Monday, January 23rd from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm. The donations have been strong enough (Thank you!) that “the book closet is now packed to about a chest high depth,” she reports. “I’m almost afraid to put anything else in it as it could very well cause an avalanche!!”

Please let Sherri (sherri.stanley1 [at] gmail.com) know if you are able to help on Monday.

We look forward to seeing many of you on Monday.

At this meeting, officers for 2012 will be elected and the 2012 budget will be reviewed and approved. In addition to the annual meeting, there will be a regular meeting of the Friends with reports from the officers, committee chairs, and the branch librarians.

The meeting is open to all. However, only members of the Friends of the Mercer Island Library will be able to participate in the election and votes.

If you have any questions please email us at info [at] milibraryfriends.org.

We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday afternoon.

Please check back on our website for updated information on the new date and time.  Or please email us at info [at] milibraryfriends.org.

We hope that everyone stays safe and warm and enjoys the snow.

The meeting is open to all. However, only members of the Friends of the Mercer Island Library will be able to participate in the election and votes.

As there are winter storms predicted for mid-week, if it snows the meeting will be postponed. If this does occur, we will post information about the rescheduled annual meeting here on our website.

If you have any questions please email us at info [at] milibraryfriends.org.

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday afternoon.

Suzzallo Library Graduate Reading Room at the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (Source: Wikimedia Commons)

The folks at Flavorwire put together a photo essay of the 25 most beautiful college libraries in the world. The Suzzallo Library Graduate Reading Room at our own region’s University of Washington was ranked number 14.

We thought that since our members love libraries, they would enjoy seeing this essay.

Thank you to the Multnomah County Library for sending out the link.

Shoppers at the Friends of the Mercer Island Library Book Sale in April 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

One more thing to be thankful for: the Mercer Island Friends of the Library Holiday Book Sale!!!

Make your holiday shopping as easy as pie by stopping in the Mercer Island Library from Thursday, December 1st through Sunday, December 4th during regular library hours. The Friends will have lovely books suitable for gifting or just for you to enjoy.  There will be books for all ages as well as CDs and DVDs. We also have a special offering of Easton Press books but there are only about a dozen so they will go fast as well as a number of Great Courses lectures. Be sure to come back often as we will be adding new items daily.

In addition to the book sale, the Friends of the Mercer Island Library will also be featuring the Dickens Carolers and light refreshments on Saturday, December 3rd from 3:30 pm to 4 pm. We hope you will stop in and share some holiday cheer.

Your financial and book donations are welcome year round. Proceeds from the sale of the donated books fund, in whole or in part, over 75% of the programs at the Mercer Island Library.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Lori Robinson: mrs.robinson “at” comcast.net.

Shelves of books for the Friends of the Mercer Island Library's ongoing book sale at the Mercer Island Library.

Are you a book lover who missed out on the Friends of the Mercer Island’s big fall book sale? Are you someone who made it that sale and just can’t wait for the Friends’ upcoming Holiday book sale next month? No need to wait…

You can simply head over to the Mercer Island Library and treat yourself to a few of the hundreds of quality books the Mercer Island Friends of the Library has for sale every day at the Library. The ongoing book sale is located on the shelves by the entrance to the Library. There are a wide range of fiction titles (adult and children’s) as well as heaps of nonfiction.

Just like at our periodic big sales, the ongoing book sales are doubly fantastic because the books are not only very reasonably priced—pocket paperbacks are 50 cents to $1, other books are $2 on up—but all proceeds also go to support the programs at the MI Library.

“Our Saturday Movie Matinee fall series looks at the central role once played by newspapers in American life—and at cinema’s portrayal of the people behind the story, from wisecracking beat reporters to ruthless tycoons. The series features films by some of the greatest directors of Hollywood’s golden age,” says Rhoades.

The first part of the series—“Extra! Extra!: Movies in the Glory Days of Newspapers”—begins this Saturday, September 24th. A complete list of the films is below.

The second part of the series—“Stop the Presses!: New Media and the Changing Face of Journalism”—will begin early next year.

All films are free and screened at the Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Avenue, Mercer Island Library.

The Saturday Matinee Series is proudly sponsored by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library.

Libeled Lady (Jack Conway, 1936)

Saturday, September 24, 2011, 1 p.m. 

When a newspaper is sued for libel, the editor postpones his wedding and convinces his fiancée to enter a sham marriage with a former reporter, all in a comically complicated attempt to discredit the newspaper’s accuser. A star-studded cast featuring Jean Harlow, Spencer Tracy, William Powell, Myrna Loy, and Walter Connolly.

Nothing Sacred (William Wellman, 1937)

Saturday, October 1, 2011, 1 p.m.

A disgraced reporter desperate for a hot story profiles a woman from small town who is believed to have a fatal disease. When they discover that she has been misdiagnosed, it is too late to stop the worldwide repercussions. This film inspired the
first use of the term “screwball comedy”.

His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940)

Saturday, October 8, 2011, 1 p.m.

In this famous remake of The Front Page, Cary Grant plays an editor who tries to win back his ex-wife and ex-reporter (Rosalind Russell) by assigning her a breaking news story she can’t resist—even though she is engaged and has sworn to give up the
newspaper life.

The Philadelphia Story (George Cukor, 1940)

Saturday, October 15, 2011, 1 p.m.

A chaotic relationship between C.K. Dexter (Cary Grant) and Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) is apparently over when she throws him out and gets engaged to the respectable George Kitridge (John Howard). However, things take a surprising turn when Dexter sneaks Spy Magazine reporter Macauley Connor (James Stewart) into the wedding.

Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)

Saturday, October 29, 2011, 1 p.m.

Soon after shocking the world with a Halloween radio broadcast of War of the Words, Orson Welles took Hollywood by storm with this ambitious, audacious—and thinly veiled—portrayal of newspaper mogul William Randolph Hearst. Widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time.

Woman of the Year (George Stevens, 1942)

Saturday, November 12, 2011, 1 p.m.

Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy return to our series for this comic battle of wits and wills, as they spar over ideas about career, marriage, and journalistic integrity.

Ace in the Hole (a.k.a. The Big Carnival) (Billy Wilder, 1951)

Saturday, November 19, 2011, 1 p.m.

Kirk Douglas plays an unscrupulous reporter who takes advantage of a mine catastrophe by delaying rescue efforts and securing exclusive access in order to drive up the price for his story.

While the City Sleeps (Fritz Lang, 1956)

Saturday, December 3, 2011, 1 p.m.

A reckless heir to a multi-media empire decides to promote the head of whichever division solves the mystery of “The Lipstick Killer”. This noirish film’s stellar ensemble includes Vincent Price, Dana Andrews, George Sanders, Rhonda Fleming, and Timothy Mitchell.

Silent Auction items in the display case at the entrance to the Mercer Island Library. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

It’s the final weekend for the Mercer Island Friends of the Library’s Silent Auction. There are nearly 100 items available including rare limited editions and signed first editions. The last bids will be accepted until the Library’s closing time (9 p.m.) on Tuesday, September 6th. Don’t miss out: get a bid in on one (or more!!) of the fantastic items showcased at the library!! All proceeds from the auction go to support programs at the Mercer Island Library.

Shoppers at the Friends of the Mercer Island Library Book Sale in April 2011. (Photo by Joel Wachs)

Also don’t forget next week’s Book Sale. The King County Library System’s trucks are set to bring back all of the boxes of great donated books to the Mercer Island Library for the Friends’ biggest book sale of the year. We expect to have around 10,000 books and other materials at the sale. There will be a members-only sale on Thursday evening starting at 5 p.m. (Bibliophiles, you can become a member of the Friends of the Mercer Island Library at the door on Thursday evening). The Book Sale will be open to everyone on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during library hours.

All of the books for sale have been generously donated by community members during the past several months. The Friends do receive fabulous materials and our prices are fabulous, too!!

As with the proceeds from the Silent Auction, all proceeds from the Book Sale are used to support programs at the Mercer Island Library. Over 75% of the programs at the Library are supported in whole or in part by the Friends of the Mercer Island Library.