The Women’s National Book Association is proud to announce the opening of its latest chapter in Charlotte, North Caroloina. The WNBA brings together professional women – and men – who share a passion for books and reading. It’s always looking for new members.

In its inaugural fall, Charlotte’s WNBA has planned several events, including a discussion panel on how children’s books go from idea to the bookstore and library shelves and a holiday fundraising event to support local literacy outreach.  Also, check out WNBA-Charlotte on Facebook.

Many WNBA members work in the book profession as publishers, authors, agents, editors, librarians, booksellers or book production and marketing specialists. Others simply love books.

“The only qualification is that you have a love of books and the written word,” said Carin Siegfried, Charlotte chapter president and, of course, a voracious reader. In addition to Ms. Siegfried, Category Manager at Charlotte-based book wholesaler Baker & Taylor, WNBA-Charlotte officers are:  Betsy Thorpe, vice president and owner of Betsy Thorpe Literary Services, a book publishing consulting company; Quinlan Lee, secretary and Associate Agent at Adams Literary; Sally Brewster, treasurer and owner of Park Road Books.

We tell children: “Be quiet when you’re in a library. People are reading.”

Those children/library patrons need us to use our mighty voices now.  All across our beloved country, libraries are in danger.  In the San Francisco Bay Area, 6 branches in Oakland deserve our rallies.

Case in Point:
The mayor’s budget proposal, scheduled to go into effect July 1st 2009, will slash the open hours for Lakeview, Temescal, Golden Gate, Elmhurst, Martin Luther King and Melrose library branches in Oakland.  These branches would only open 2 or 3 days per week!   Schools that don’t have libraries, neighborhood kids, seniors, people without computers, and the unemployed looking for work will be severely affected.

77.2% voters had voted YES to Measure Q (to increase libraries hours and services, not to cut them)

Keep ALL Oakland Libraries open 5 or 6 days a week!  How can we help?

Visit:

http://savethelibraries.spaces.live.com

Wherever you are, you can use the strategies proposed by the Oakland groups:

• Ask questions and offer resources

• Create an action plan, organize and more organize–strength in number

• Craft consistent talking-points to hook politicians’ attention

Contact your library to find out if any branch in your city or county are in danger. We can use our mighty voices not only through public speaking but also through writing, spreading the word, and letting cyberspace carry our messages far and wide.

Hope to see WNBA members at the San Francisco Library Main Branch on June 2 for the Effie Lee Morris Lecture.     Please RSVP by visiting home page  http://wnba-sfchapter.org for instructions.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Teresa LeYung Ryan

WNBA-SF Chapter Member-at-Large