Photo courtesy of the DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun
DeGrazia: The man and the myths lecture November 19
Mary Kopp
The Friends of SaddleBrooke Libraries is hosting two events in November featuring the life and work of noted Tucson artist Ted DeGrazia.
A lecture about DeGrazia is set for 4:00 p.m., November 19 in the MountainView East Ballroom. DeGrazia biographer James W. Johnson will share stories he collected in researching the 2013 book, DeGrazia: The Man and the Myths.
Johnson, a former reporter with the Arizona Daily Star, is a graduate of the University of Arizona’s School of Journalism and also served on the school faculty. His reporter’s skills helped uncover many of the hidden details that make up the DeGrazia story. Joining Johnson in telling about unraveling the DeGrazia mysteries is Marilyn D. Johnson, his wife and professional colleague.
The lecture is free to FSL members. Nonmembers pay $5 at the door. Seating is open with no reservations or pre-registration required.
If the lecture inspires you to learn more about a unique Tucson treasure, a private guided tour of DeGrazia’s Gallery in the Sun is being held at 10:00 a.m., November 20. The Johnsons will provide a 90 minute tour of the DeGrazia home, chapel, gravesite and gallery, providing insight and commentary.
The free tour is limited to 40 participants. Sign-ups will be taken at the November 19 lecture. Transportation to the gallery at 6300 N. Swan Road is on your own. The gallery and other buildings were designed and built by DeGrazia.
One of the most reproduced artists of the 20th century, DeGrazia is known to many around the world for the faceless Indian and Mexican children featured on UNICEF Christmas cards. Success as a commercial artist is only one aspect of his many endeavors. Learn about some of his other passions at the lecture and tour.
For more information about the lecture or tour, contact Kay White at 818-9482 or [email protected]. Visit FSL online at www.FriendsSBLib.org to find out more about upcoming events.
Board Member positions open
The Friends of the SaddleBrooke Libraries (FSL) is a wonderful organization dedicated to keeping the SaddleBrooke Libraries funded so we can continue to enjoy the newest best sellers, favorite authors, audiobooks, DVDs, large print books and the popular Lecture Series, as well as Meeting the Author luncheons. In order for this organization to continue we must rely on our hard working volunteers. For the last 13 years we have been blessed to have had talented and dedicated volunteers to assist in our efforts.
As of January 2015 there will be three Board of Directors openings for the positions: Special Events, Public Relations Chairs and Member-At-Large.
Special Events (SE) committee chair will plan and develop all fundraising programs and projects approved by the Board to accomplish annual planning goals. The SE chair in cooperation and with assistance of the Board will create a Special Events Committee that will develop and conduct designated events (such as Game Day).
Public Relations committee chair will act as liaison between the Board members and the public. Public Relations publicity includes but is not limited to print, electronic, email blast, website, radio, flyer, banner and photography media to promote FSL events. The PR committee chair will create a committee to provide the necessary publicity medium for particular events or initiatives.
The member-at-large is part of the Board of Directors and attends the monthly meetings of the Board. The main function is to assist with any programs, projects or fundraisers as required by the committee chair. The Member-at-Large is usually responsible for the Thank You Luncheon that FSL hosts for Library Volunteers annually.
If you have any interest in any of these positions, please contact Barry Swartzberg, vice president of FSL at [email protected]. We thank you for your continued support of the Friends of the SaddleBrooke Libraries.
Membership kick-off launches with AZ Kicks On Route 66
Mary Kopp
The Friends of the SaddleBrooke Libraries (FSL) annual Membership Kickoff event is scheduled for Thursday, January 15, 2015, in the MountainView Ballroom. The lecture will begin at 4:00 p.m. Marshall Shore, a vibrant speaker known as Arizona’s Hip Historian, will present Arizona Kicks On Route 66.
In his lecture Marshall Shore will share his passion of uncovering the weird, the wonderful and the obscure treasures from our past: the semi-forgotten people, places and events that have made us who we are today. Shores uses storytelling magic, found film footage, old photographs, ephemera and artifacts to bring our state’s heritage to life in entertaining and educational presentations.
U.S. Route 66, known as the Mother Road, was built in 1926. It ran from Chicago to Los Angeles. During the depression of the 1930s it became the major path by which people migrated west seeking work, warm weather and new opportunities. Shore shares the history of Route 66 in Arizona, including the impact it had on the state during its prime and what happened when the interstate ultimately bypassed some of the towns that drew life from the road. This multi-media presentation includes music, video clips, still photos and Shore’s storytelling magic.
This event kicks off the 2015 membership drive that provides needed funding for our three libraries. Thanks to your generous contributions FSL is able to provide nearly 100% of the funding for new books, audio books and videos for our three libraries. Areas of particular focus this past year were the video collection at DesertView, expansion of the large print collection at the Cholla Library, ongoing funding for the special audio book cases for DesertView library, purchase of new paperbacks in several areas for the SaddleBrooke Library collection and the magazine subscriptions for the Cholla Library. In 2014 FSL has also funded printing of new bookmarks for the libraries, partial support for the launch of the library’s new catalog system and purchase of a book cart for the Cholla Library at MountainView.
The annual membership renewal date is January 1. The 2015 membership application will soon be available on the FSL website and in all three libraries. On the web please click More Details and Membership Form under the January 15 Marshall Shore program description.
Please note lecture event change of day and time for 2015. The monthly FSL lectures will be on Thursdays at 4:00 p.m. and in the MountainView Ballroom.
This is a free lecture and is almost always filled to capacity, so mark your calendars now and join us for an entertaining and informative event packed with fascinating details and door prizes, too!
Please visit Friends of the Libraries website www.FriendsSBLib.org for upcoming events, current information and unanticipated event changes.