It’s that time of the year again – Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Barossa Library will be at the Nuriootpa Council Chambers on Thursday 20th August at 5.30 pm.  All positions are open for nomination – we are particularly looking for a Secretary.

Treasurer and Membership Secretary Paddy Carter is retiring from executive positions after 19 years, although she will be staying on the Committee to as a non-executive member.  The AGM will be a chance to farewell her.

After the meeting Bruce Munday, author of that excellent book about the Barossa, “Those Dry Stone Walls”, will be Guest Speaker.  Afterwards all invited to a light supper and a glass of wine.

The great Tanunda Book Sale is on again, starting 10 am ion Thursday 9th July at the CWA Hall (now the Bike Hub), till 4 pm, then on Friday 10th and Saturday 11th.  Huge range of books paperbacks $1, hardbacks $2, children’s books from 50 cents, BARGAIN fill your shopping bag for $8 or a library bag for $9.  Rotary Club will have a sausage sizzle from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday.  All proceeds to the library services.

Have you booked yet for the Friends of the Library Quiz Night?  Who is the smartest in the Barossa?  Find out on Saturday 20th June at 7 pm when  it is “eyes down” for teams of up to 10 people to battle out the quiz of quizzes,   Each library branch is forming a team so if you have not got a team together join your local library team.  $10 per head, bring your own snacks, great wines available to buy by the glass.  Thanks to Seppeltsfield Wines who have made their beautiful Dining Hall available for the evening.  To book ring 8563 8440 or call in to your library branch.

Last chance to win one of three great hampers especially designed for Mother’s day..  On display at Nuriootpa Library, tickets are just $2 each or 3 for $5, available from any Barossa Library branch.  Drawn Thursday 7th May at about 10.30 am.  All proceeds to library improvements.

Please come and join us for a cuppa and cake at our Mother’s Day morning tea at the Nuriootpa library on Thursday 7th May at 10 am.  About 10.30 am we will be drawing the Mother’s Day Raffle.  (Hope you have your tickets @ $2 each or 3 for $5 from any library branch with a chance to win one of 3 great hampers).  This is a free event open to any library lover, with the aim of thanking Friends of the Library and supporters for the help they have given over the past year.  Please book on 8583 8440.

Welcome to 2015!

Welcome to our first Snippets for 2015.  Your Committee has planned a full year of activities to involve all Friends and, hopefully, bring other library-lovers to Friends’ events.   Events manager Kirsten Harvey, has come up with a list of events for the year.  So, get out your diaries, and set aside the following dates:

Wednesday 4^th March 10 am, Nuriootpa Library: “Bring a Friend to Meet the Friends” Morning Tea.  As the title implies, this is an opportunity for you to bring another library lover, who may not be a Friend, to meet us and talk about our common love of literature and the library.  Bookings essential please on 8563 8440.

23^rd to 28^th March: Lyndoch Book Sale.

Thursday 7^th May 10 am: Mother’s Day Morning Tea and draw of Mother’s Day Raffle.

Saturday 20^th June 6.30 pm:  Quiz Night, venue to be confirmed.

Thursday 9^th, Friday 10^th, Saturday 11^th July, 10am to 4 pm daily:  Tanunda Book Sale.

Thursday 20^th August, 5.30 pm, Nuriootpa Council Chambers:  Friends of the Barossa Library Annual General Meeting.

Thursday 10^th September, 5.30 to 7.30 pm, Nuriootpa Library:  Wine and Cheese Night.

October (date to be confirmed), 10.30 am, Nuriootpa Library:  Generations High Tea (a get-together of young and old library lovers).

November (dates to be confirmed):  Mount Pleasant Book Sale.

November:  Launch of Christmas Raffle.

Tuesday 1^st December 10.30 am, on the lawns at the Visitors Information Centre, Tanunda:  Christmas Morning Tea.

Not all dates or venues can be fixed at this stage.  Our aim is to increase our membership, particularly amongst the younger generation, many of whom are making extensive use of library facilities, and may be willing to participate in the work of the Friends after meeting members and attending some of the functions listed above.

If you have any comments or suggestions, we will be more than happy to consider them.

There has been much adverse publicity about great white sharks – now here is your chance to meet a man who has swum with great whites and lived to tell the tale – and in fact is an advocate of the shark.  Rodney Fox has just written a book of his experiences and will present it at the Nuriootpa library on 16th January.  This a free event for all the family, but PLEASE BOOK.

Poster – Fiona Palmer

Looking for a great night out?

The Barossa Library are excited to be hosting author Fiona Palmer, dubbed Rural Romance Queen of Australia. Fiona writes stories set in rural Australia that paint a vivid picture of rural life from the inspiring landscapes to the down to earth characters. Fiona will be talking about her fascinating life, her writing and her new book –

The Sunnyvale Girls. Hope to see you there!

About Fiona

Fiona Palmer lives in the tiny rural town of Pingaring in Western Australia, three and a half hours south-east of Perth. She discovered Danielle Steel at the age of eleven, and has now written her own brand of rural romance. She has attended romance writers’ groups and received an Australian Society of Authors mentorship for her first novel, The Family Farm. She has extensive farming experience, does the local mail run, and was a speedway-racing driver for seven years. She spends her days writing, helping out in the community and looking after her two children.

Monday 13th October

6.30pm for 7.00pm start

Peter Lehmann Wines Cellar Door

Cost $5, Includes glass of wine and platters

Bookings essential

Phone – 8563 8440

Or email jbailey@barossa.sa.gov.au

After the Annual General Meeting on Thursday night, the meeting was addressed by Nicole Hodgson, Tourism and Events Manager for Seppeltsfield Wines, with a most interesting talk on the history of the winery established by Joseph Seppelt in 1851.  The winery was owned by the Seppelts family until the 1980’s when it passed to corporate ownership.  The purchase of the winery by a private consortium five years ago has led to a reinvigoration of the site with the restoration of the Gravity Feed Cellar, the conversion of the stables to the Jam Factory Arts Centre and now the construction of fine restaurant and new Cellar Door in the old bottling hall.  No expense has been spared, using local artisans and local materials to ensure that Seppeltsfield is still a community centre in another century.

Seppeltsfield has been a great supporter of the work of the Friends of the Library and it is great to see it being restored to its former glory as a jewel in the crown of the Barossa.

Annual General Meeting held on 21st August at Nuriootpa Library and was a great night, with reports from President Bill Biscoe, Treasurer Paddy Carter and Library Services Manager Tania Paull.  Did you know that last year 140,000 people visited our libraries to borrow 243,000 items and that we have 13,650 active members?  Did you also know that only 15% of our funding comes from the State Government and the Barossa Council pays 85%.  About time we started putting pressure on the State Government to lift their game and put in some more money.  13,650 votes or potential votes!