NEWSLETTER OCTOBER 2016

Lots of news this time.  Foal will be moving into a new phase of its life with the move to 23 rue Lakanal (planned for mid October, followed by a Grand Opening and Book Sale). The premises is being thoroughly renovated by City Hall, we are currently waiting for the flooring to be laid and the new plumbing put in. Then we shall be able to organise the move, re-shelving and general organising of the new place. (volunteers  welcome)  Of course, you will be informed of the date of the Grand Opening. One of our members, Murielle, who teaches in a college, has found us tables and chairs which the college was getting rid of. This will be a big saving. Thank you Murielle.

Antigone des Associations

Dedicated volunteers staffed our stand and we garnered a lot of email addresses of interested people to whom info will be sent.

Staffing the library

Opening hours will be enlarged in the new premises and volunteers from membership are welcome (email to foal@dbmail.com    ) We plan to open every Wednesday from 3pm to 6pm and the 1st and 3rd Saturday each month from 10am to 12.30. Board members will staff through until end of January and I plan to hold a meeting in January with volunteers and board members to sketch out staffing until the summer break.

New books

A new order has been placed and the books will be in the library for the G.O. We shall open a Children’s Section with books provided through donations, so if you have any interesting children’s books in good condition, you can bring them along.

Raffle

There will be a raffle at the party and prizes are starting to come in. If you have anything in your attic which would make a good prize, don’t hesitate to donate. Please try and buy plenty of tickets, you can buy for friends who want to support the library. Even if they don’t belong to Foal they might want to support you.

Concert at Domaine d’O

An English group of singers called VOCES 8 (from classical to jazz to American crooners, a capella) will be coming to the Domaine d’O on 28th March. I have taken an option for Foal for 15 tickets. I will remind you nearer the time but if you are interested, do send me an email  foal@dbmail.com  so that I can get an idea about numbers. Special price 12 euros

Grand Opening & Super Book Sale

According to the latest information, the renovation should be finished by the third week in October which would enable us to move and set up in week 25th -29th. Then we would have a normal opening on Wednesday 2nd November and the Grand Opening on Saturday 5th November. This is the best case scenario, the worst case is move on 31st October and GO on 12th November with a normal opening on 9th November (we would rather not have people bringing back books on day of GO so that we can concentrate on the Book Sale and signing up new members). You will be kept informed. Refreshments and biscuits will be on offer

 

Antigone des Associations 11th September and new premises

FOAL has a stand at the Antigone des Associations on Sunday 11th September  N°00616 on Place Thessalie Don't hesitate to drop by to have a chat with the Foal members who will be staffing the stand and leave your email addresses so that we can keep you informed about the move to the new, permanent premises at 23 Rue Lakanal in Montpellier which we hope should take place some time in October.
The premises are pretty big (76 sq metres), we will be reintegrating all the books which are currently in various attics and cellars and it will be great to find the whole collection again. (see catalogue which has just been updated with the June buys).
We plan to hold a Grand Opening with a special price for new members and a giant Book Sale. From then on, FOAL will be going from strength to strength!

New catalogue available (June 2016) !!

The new catalogue (Title Alphabetical Order) is now online. To download it, just click Here.
Also available : Author Alphabetical Order Here.

Click on “télécharger avec votre navigateur” (download to browser) and then on “ouvrir” (open) or "Enregistrer le fichier" (to save it on your computer).

NEW BOOKS JUNE 2016

NEW BOOKS JUNE 2013

 

Non fiction

History’s People : Personalities and the Past      Margaret MacMillan

Fiction

Everyone  brave is forgiven                               Chris Cleave

The North Water                                                Ian McGuire

Penance                                                              Kate O’Riordan

Finders Keepers                                                  Stephan King

End Watch                                                          Stephan King

This must be the Place                                        Maggie O’Farrell

How to measure a Cow                                      Margaret Forster

The Poison Artist                                                Jonathan Moore

Thomas & Mary : a love story                           Tim Parks

A woman much missed                                      Valerio Varesi

The Fox was ever the hunter                              Herta Müller

My name is Lucy Barton                                    Elizabeth Strout  

Avenue of Mysteries                                           John Irving

Did you ever have a family ?                              Bill Clegg

SUMMER NEWSLETTER JUNE 2016

AGM & PARTY

We had a good turnout and very quickly moved on to the party and a glass (or two) of excellent « crémant d’Alsace » which people remarked upon. There was a wonderful spread of delicious food that our cordon bleu members brought along, the weather was perfect (not too hot, not too cold) and a great time was had by all. I shall be posting some photos on Foal’s Facebook page and the blog when I get them. (the blog foal34.free.fr is a good place if you wish to look at the catalogue)

OPENING DAYS JULY (before the move)

We will be open on Saturday 2^nd  & Wednesday 13th July so that you can take out your summer reading (you are allowed more books for the summer) The new books will be in the library from 22nd July so you will have plenty to choose from

PLANS FOR NEW PREMISES   23 Rue Lakanal

We have great plans for the new premises once we get up and running. There is a lot to be done getting the place to rights, City Hall will be doing most of the work but our bricoleurs will have plenty to do too. We will have a CHILDREN’S SECTION and you are invited to donate recent children’s books (in good condition) since we don’t plan to actually buy any books for youngsters. Patricia Robb has volunteered to set up story telling sessions for the kids.

We would like to increase the MAGAZINE SECTION thanks to donations of VERY recent issues of magazines (TIME, THE ECONOMIST, etc.)

We shall be increasing OPENING HOURS and we will need VOLUNTEERS for staffing (send an email to foal@dbmail.com with your possible slots). We plan to open every Wednesday(3pm-6pm) and the first and third Saturday of each month (10am-12.30am).

 Dates (subject to change) We hope to have a normal opening  on Saturday 3rd of September but you will be kept informed (it depends on how the renovation goes) and a GRAND OPENING AND BOOK SALE on Saturday 24th September from 10-12.30 & 2pm-6pm. I hope lots of you will come along on that day. It will be announced in the Press and we hope to enroll new members. All this to be confirmed. I met the technicien from City Hall ; work on schools over the holidays takes precedence, so, at the present time, it is impossible to set up an agenda. However, they do plan to do a thorough renovation with new flooring, ceiling and plumbing, so the premises will be spanking new when we move in.

We will need plenty of CHAIRS in the new premises where we plan to hold the Book Chat sessions and the Board meetings so if you have the odd chair to donate, send an email to the foal address (see above) and you can bring them along on an opening day. An armchair or two wouldn’t come amiss as we have a small room where we shall be able to sit and have a cup of tea or coffee and a chat.

ANTIGONE DES ASSOCIATIONS

We shall have a stand at the Antigone des Associations in the International section on Saturday 11th September. Now that we shall able to publicise the library with an address, it will be easier to promote so there will be special flyers, and info about the Grand Opening.

CHRISTMAS PARTY

This is probably getting ahead of ourselves but the good news is that the Claringbulls have very kindly offered to hold the party at theirs on 10th December. We will have a cut off for numbers so when we get nearer the time you will be asked to sign on very fast. Meanwhile, rummage in your attics for hidden treasures which could make good prizes for the raffle and let me know.

WE HAVE PREMISES!!!!!

Well, the good news has been confirmed.

After 6 years of existence and 4 years with a premises dossier at City Hall, we have finally be given permanent premises!!!!! Very near the town center on rue Lakanal, quite big (76 sq metres), will need a bit of sprucing up but we should open at the beginning of September which will give us time to get things organised. We have books all over the place in various cellars and attics, some belong to the library proper and others will go into a Book Sale which we shall hold on opening day. Of course this calls for a celebration and we shall be drinking fizzy at the AGM on 11th June (open to paid up members) before the al fresco lunch in one of our member's lovely garden. If you feel like joining up now, send an email to foal@dbmail.com and you will be eligible for the party too!

 

NEWSLETTER March 2016

NEWSLETTER MARCH 2016

 

I can'r seem to be able to copy the images that are in the Newsletter, the one that should be in this space is of a couple of champagne glasses. This explains the first sentence of the text below

 

I expect you are surprised to see this festive image but drinking some fizzy might soon be a reality. Indeed, I was informed this week that the Premises Commission had held its meeting and that Foal’s dossier had been given an « avis favorable » by the Mayor. The next step is for them to find suitable premises but it does look as if we are well on the way to getting something permanent. If and when this happens, which might be in the not so distant future, Foal members will be drinking fizzy and celebrating. My secret hope is that this might intervene before the AGM and the summer party which is due to take place on 11th June (I hope the date is already in your agendas) so that we can do our celebrating then.

The new books will be in the library tomorrow (23rd March), another excellent selection as you have already seen.

 

This is a very short newsletter, I just wanted to share the good news.

 

There was another image here of some party hats