Activities of the Friends
 

A MESSACiF. EROAI THE CHAIRMAN
 

A S MANY of our members know, the Friends of the Co-

/--\\ lunibia Libraries was activated at a large meeting which
_A- )\. was held in the Rotunda of Low Memorial Library on
the evening of iMay i, 1951. The central purpose of our group has
been and is the promotion and furthering of the work of the
various libraries in the University.

The initial developmental work was performed by a Planning
Committee which soon was expanded and became the Council.
Columbia Library Columns was started as our official publication,
a series of events has been held each year, and our membership has
grown until it now numbers more than 280. The total of our cash
contributions and of the appraised value of books and manuscripts
which have been given has increased each year.

Because of the larger membership and because of the increasing
activities and interest being shown by our group, it seemed to the
members of the Council that we should have a somewhat more
formal organization. To that end, I appointed Mrs. Franz T. Stone
chairman of a special committee which would work with Dr.
Logsdon's, Mr. Mixer's, and my assistance on the drafting of a
Constitution and By-Laws. After careful study of the provisions
in the same type of documents which have been adopted b\' other
Friends of Libraries groups, Mrs. Stone drew up the preliminary
draft of a Constitution and By-Laws which she presented for
study and discussion at the May 19 meeting of the Council. Re¬
visions which were suggested then were worked out in detail by
Mrs. Stone, Mr. Lada-Mocarski, Dr. Logsdon, and me in the en¬
suing six weeks.

In July a copy of the revised documents was sent to President
Kirk and A^ice-President Krout for examination. On August 2 Dr.

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