FOLIO offers several opportunities for Oklahoma library friends groups.
SEEDS FOR SUCCESS
FOLIO has long been committed to early childhood literacy. Illiteracy has a lifelong impact on people’s health, earning power, mental health, & quality of life.
FOLIO is offering up to $500 grants for FOLIO-member Friends of Libraries groups to give books to preschoolers, particularly those living in poverty. Application due Dec. 31, 2024.
FOLIO is also offering grants to FOLs for free used picture books (50-100 books) to place in take-and-share book shelves or a Little Free Library® in day care centers, community centers, health centers, housing centers or related locations. Application due Dec. 31, 2024.
FOLIO Seeds for Success Application
BEST FRIENDS (presented in Spring)
FOLIO presents two awards of $1,000 each to Oklahoma friends groups that demonstrate exemplary success in support of their local library. To be eligible, the friends group must have paid membership dues for the year of the award. Further information and criteria are on the application.
2024 Best Friends Awardees:
- John Harkey Best Friends: Friends of the Eufaula Memorial Library
- Oklahoma Best Friends: Friends of the Helmerich Library - TCCL
FRIENDS OF LIBRARIES WEEK AWARDS (presented in Fall)
FOLIO offers two awards of $500 each for Oklahoma friends in recognition of activities celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week, held annually in October. To be eligible, the friends group must have paid membership dues to FOLIO. Further information and criteria are on the application.
Friends Week ideas:
http://www.ala.org/united/events_conferences/folweek
2023 Friends of Libraries Week Awardees:
- Library serving fewer than 10,000: no entries received
- Library serving more than 10,000: Friends of the Helmerich Library - TCCL
SEED GRANTS (available year-round)
FOLIO offers seed grants of up to $425 each to help with forming, reorganizing, or revitalizing of a friends group to support a local library. Grants can help with the possible legal expenses of incorporation the creation and duplication of promotional and communication materials. Organizational tools for friends groups:
http://www.ala.org/united/friends/orgtools
2022 Seed Grant Awardee: Friends of the McLoud Public Library
HALL OF FAME (presented in Spring)
The FOLIO Hall of Fame Committee honors outstanding and dedicated service to Friends of Libraries in Oklahoma, Inc. Nominations are made and voted upon by FOLIO board members. Names are inscribed on a plaque in the foyer of the Oklahoma Department of Libraries, Oklahoma City.
In 2019, FOLIO created the FOLIO Hall of Fame Laurel Wreath Award in recognition and appreciation of exceptional and continuing leadership and service to FOLIO.
2024 Hall of Fame Awardee: Candace Baird
Nominate your Standout Friend with FOLIO's new award. Honor your outstanding friends member, based on your own criteria (number of volunteer hours, successful new project, number of new members they recruited, etc.). FOLIO will honor them at the statewide meeting on October 12. Nominate your outstanding friend by August 31, 2024.
Winston Churchill once opined that: "You make your living by what you get - but you make your life through what you give." If judged by that yardstick, many Friends of the Library among us are leading an extremely rich lifestyle. Most of these "Standout Friends" remain unsung heroes. In 2023, the Friends of Libraries in Oklahoma (FOLIO) created an annual Stand Up for Standout Friends program as a chance to spotlight and celebrate volunteers who go above and beyond. We want YOU to help add to the FIRST inaugural class of Standout Friends!
