Friends Helping Friends

A few years ago, I was the president of the North Carolina Public Library Directors’ Association. I guess I was selected because I was there longer than most of the other directors.

During that year, the library directors organized another “Library Day at the Legislature.” (As an aside, the next one is scheduled for Feb. 25.)

On Library Day we are asked to visit our legislators and remind them of the value of public libraries. It’s an easy job for me because our legislators know public libraries are important. Just ask Representatives Ronny Sutton, Garland Pierce, Doug Yongue or Senator David Weinstein. It would be very helpful if you told them you thought public libraries are important.

If a library director doesn’t know their local representative personally, we suggest the director try to bring a friend of the representative’s with them. That way, the library director can meet the representative and the representative can feel comfortable knowing our cause is just and the information is correct.

When I was president, I wanted Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue to welcome us all to Raleigh. I didn’t know the Lt. Governor but I had a friend that did. So after I wrote her a letter asking her to speak to us on Library Day, I asked Senator Weinstein, a friend of the Lt. Governor’s, to ask her. Being the lady that she is, she couldn’t refuse a friend. So she did that favor for Senator Weinstein and we had a wonderful event.

Things get done by cooperation. To use a cliché, we don’t live in a vacuum. We can’t do it all by ourselves. How about another one? It takes a village to raise a child. We should look out for one another and help when we can. All of those statements are paths to success. The public library is a great example of people helping people.

For one thing, it is available to all regardless of economic status. For another, all entering are treated equally. If someone wants to read a best seller and it’s checked out, they can put their name on a list. The book will be loaned to them in the order that they sign up. If someone wants to use a computer, they can as soon as one’s available. If someone needs help with research, we help them all we can.

Public libraries are just about the only government agency that people willingly visit and mostly go away feeling better than when they entered the building. It is also one of the most important for long term benefits.

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Just like asking a friend for help, we are sometimes asked to pray for someone because of some illness or trial they are experiencing. The individual can pray for themselves but we often feel it helps if others pray with and for us. Just as we ask friends to do something for us here, I ask the Saints to ask for help for us. St. Jude is often referred to as the Saint of the Impossible. I’ve asked him to pray for me on a number of occasions.

— Bob Fisher is the director of the Robeson County Public Library. He can be reached at rfisher@robesoncountylibrary.com.