Friends of the Library
The Friends of the St. Lucie County Library, Inc., is a non-profit organization of volunteers who support the County's Library System, a group of people who love books, love to read, and want to help others enjoy the pleasure of reading.Anyone can and should be a member of the Friends of the Library.
Members will receive an invitation to the Annual Dinner Meeting and other special notices about programs sponsored by the Friends. As a Friend you may also be a volunteer. We welcome your assistance in any area in which you may wish to participate.
What the Friends of the Library Do.......
- Funded the creation and hosting of the Library System's original website.
- Support efforts for Lifelong Learning via Learn to Read of St. Lucie County's Adult Literacy programs and the Lifelong Literacy Coalition of St. Lucie County.
- Offer scholarship consideration to staff interested in Library and Information Studies.
- Host the annual Volunteer Luncheon.
- Lobby for funding for additional library services and programs.
- Save tax dollars by providing needed equipment and services for the St. Lucie County Library System, its employees and patrons.
- Present the free "Florida Authors" series and sponsor an Annual Dinner Meeting with a guest speaker.
- Encourage donation of gifts, memorial bequests and tributes from local residents.
- Coordinated the Capital Fund Campaign for the Fort Pierce Branch Library.
Board of Directors:
Vacant, Assistant Treasurer, exp. 2009
Carnelle Clifton, President, exp. 2012
Pat Giordano, Director, exp. 2010
Lucille M. Howard, Vice-President, exp. 2010
Veronica Lacoparra, Director, exp. 2012
Helen Lightner, Director, exp. 2009
Bertha Perez, Director, exp. 2011
Padrick Pinkney, Treasurer, exp. 2011
Carla Robinson, Director, exp. 2009
Vacant, Secretary, exp. 2010
Dorothy Walker, Director, exp. 2011
James Wilder, Director, exp. 2012
Doug Coward, Representative of Board of County Commissioners
Rudy Widman, Representative of Library Advisory Board
Susan Jacob, Library Manager, Ex-officio Member
Membership levels:
Individual......................$10.00
Family...........................$25.00
Patron.........................$100.00 (Member will receive a bookmark)
Sponsor.......................$250.00 (A book will be purchased in your name)
Benefactor..................$500.00 (Member will receive name on memorial brick or plaque)
You will receive a membership card and an invitation to the Annual Dinner Meeting in October which features a Florida author or local speaker. The Annual Membership renewal date is October 1st.
Send your check to:
Friends of the St. Lucie County Library, Inc.
101 Melody Lane
Fort Pierce, FL 34950-4402
Your Contribution to the
Friends of the St. Lucie County Library, Inc.,
Is Tax-Deductible
Friends Annual Dinner Meeting 2009
The Friends of the St. Lucie County Library, Inc., held their annual dinner meeting on Monday evening, October 19, 2009, at the Port St. Lucie Holiday Inn, 10120 South U.S. 1. Cocktails and hors d’œuvres were served 5:30-6:30 PM (cash bar); dinner was served at 6:45 PM. Dinner choices were: Roast sirloin au jus, parmesan crusted chicken or tilapia with baked sweet potato, chef’s choice of vegetable, and garden crisp salad, peach cobbler along with coffee, tea or iced tea. 
The guest authors for the evening were Deborah and Joel Shlian. They are the authors of Rabbit in the Moon (a Florida Gold Medal Winner), Double Illusion (optioned for a film), and Wednesday’s Child. The Shlians write medical mystery novels based on past experience as doctors and donate the proceeds from the sale of Rabbit in the Moon to Remote Area Medical (RAM), a not-for-profit medical charity which does weekend medical missions in the US and was recently featured on "60 Minutes." Copies of the guest authors' books were available for sale and autographing at the dinner.
Howard W. Schneider, Library Benefactor
The story of Howard W. Schneider is a heartwarming, uplifting one. He appeared to be a man of modest means, living at the old Biltmore Hotel, searching through trash cans for treasures and visiting the former Main Library every day. Librarian Pat McManus became his friend through their daily encounters, and when he became ill, even visited him at the hotel shortly before his death in 1978. Upon his death it was discovered that Mr. Schneider was a retired forester with considerable assets. In his will he left instructions for the St. Lucie County Library Association, Inc., to receive $240,000. This fund is entrusted to management by the Friends of the St. Lucie County Library, Inc., Board of Directors. The Friends have paid for many wonderful items, including $60,000 for the Zora Neale Hurston Branch Library property, the Florida Collection for the Morningside Branch, luncheons for the Library volunteers, copiers in all the Library locations, and many other necessary projects.