MINUTES FROM ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING 2024

Friends of Ashland Public Library Board

Minutes for Saturday, April 13, 2024, 1:00 p.m.

Bonnie Johnson, co-President of the Friends of the Ashland Library, called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m.  She welcomed all members and guests, and shared information about the Friends and its support of programs at the Library.  Twenty-seven members were in attendance, with the total audience of approximately 42.

Kristin Anderson, Ashland Branch and Bear Creek Area Manager, shared that the JCLD Board is in the midst of developing a new Facilities Master Plan.  The consultants for the Plan will hold a “listening session” at 5:30 on Tuesday, April 16, in the Gresham Room of the Branch.  She also reported that to better reach the residents of south Ashland/Jackson County, a book locker will be installed at the YMCA, by the fall of 2024.  She thanked the Friends of the Ashland Library for its support of programming for all ages at the Branch.

Nicky Stanke, Secretary of the Board, conducted the elections to the Board.  Continuing on the Board are Cathy Prazenica, Bonnie Johnson, Carrie Forbes, Betsy Gentry, Elaine Hamlin and Claudia Everett.   New nominees to the Board for terms 2024-2026 are Linda Thomas and Sara Brown.  Up for re-election are Leslie Dawson, Gayle Smashey and Nicky Stanke.  Elaine Hamlin moved and Susan seconded that the slate of nominees all be approved.  The motion passed unanimously with the vote by members present.   Donna Wright had announced her retirement from the Board.  Stanke thanked her on behalf of the Board and presented her with a miniature rose bush.

Cathy Prazenica presented the 2023 year-end financial report.  FOAL income exceeded the budgeted amount and expenditures fell short of the budgeted amount leaving FOAL with a net income of $34,667.   The excess approximates the $35,000 pledged to the book locker project as presented by Kristin Anderson earlier.  The total assets at year end show $202,089, of which $75,000 is pledged to the renovation that will follow the Facilities Master Plan.  Assets remaining to be assigned to future projects and programs equal $92,089.

Claudia Everett introduced OSF actor Eddie Lopez.  Eddie Lopez returns to Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for the role of Conrade in Much Ado About Nothing.

During his 9 years in the OSF resident company, he appeared in such memorable productions as Hairspray, Destiny of Desire, Animal Crackers, Pirates of Penzance and Throne of Blood (at OSF and The Brooklyn Academy of Music).

In 2019 Eddie produced and starred, with Amy Lazaro, in an amazing production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch for OSF’s Daedalus Project.

Since leaving OSF-as Covid changed all our lives, he has appeared in CBS’s Madam Secretary, co-directed Twelfth Night in Berkeley (with Miriam Laube) and toured the US with the new Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods.

Eddie was raised in Sacramento and trained at Cal Arts.

We are so thrilled he is back in town.

“From Page to the Stage:”  Lopez explored and articulated ways that both libraries and theaters contribute to the appreciation of the arts, as physical spaces, as sanctuaries, as paths to other worlds, and as places to share stories with inclusiveness, openness and tolerance.  He closed with a Sesame Street video “Goin’ to the Li-Li-Library.”  Questions from the audience:  Will there be school visits to OSF again?  Answer:  YES.  Lopez also talked about visits from OSF to the schools.  Is the New York Public Library of the Performing Arts open to the public?  Yes, for browsing, but appointments are necessary to view particular productions.    Is the repertoire company coming back after the scattering of many OSF actors during and after COVID?  The company is always in flux but now he feels a critical mass of veterans has returned and will continue to work on the repair.  He talked briefly about his work in adapting Pinocchio to the stage.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:15.