Meet 2017 FAL Board Member Luzanne Engh
What are your earliest connections to libraries?
My appreciation for libraries began in junior high school when I joined the Library Club. As club members we read and reported on all new books before they were put into circulation. Ariel Day was the school librarian. From her I learned basic library skills, the Dewey Decimal system, how to shelve and catalog (card catalog!) books, and take end-of-year inventory. Library Club members sat at the small “circulation desk” and checked (hand stamped!) books in and out for our classmates. These basic skills served me well through high school and college and grounded my appreciation for community libraries.
Do you enjoy “actual” books? Ebooks?
I read both “book-books” and ebooks. My preference is for actual books, but there are advantages (travel, nighttime reading,) to ebooks.
What are you reading these days?
Generally I read fiction but recently I’ve read two non-fiction books to learn more about our national community: Hillbilly Elegy by James D. Vance and
Strangers in Their Own Land by Arlie R. Hochschild. I recommend both of them.
Tell us a bit about your personal involvement with the Friends
I was a member of the Foundation Board for ten years when I served as Treasurer, Vice-President, and President. I co-chaired the Merger Committee and was as the first President of our merged Friends organization. I continue to serve on the Friends board, on the Live@theLibrary concert committee and have volunteered at book sales and the Tenth Anniversary Celebration.
What are your hopes and/or fears about the Friends and the Alameda Free Library?
The Friends board and volunteers work diligently to raise funds to support library programming, technology, and the longer-term needs of all three branches. We couldn’t provide this support without the dedicated work of our volunteers. I hope other Alamedans will join us. We have volunteer possibilities for one-time jobs and for commitments on a regular basis. Our current needs are for Café workers and book sorters. If you are interested in volunteering, contact us at volunteer@alamedafriends.com or visit to our Volunteer page.