Libraries in the Marana Unified School District receive little if any money for books each year, but a group of people from various walks of life hopes to change that.
Coyote Trail Elementary School Librarian Lisa Martin - who spearheaded an effort this year that allows customers at the West Ina Road Bookmans to donate their trade credit to MUSD libraries - organized a meeting May 17 to explore forming a nonprofit "Friends of the Marana Unified School District Libraries" group, similar to the nonprofit Friends of the Pima County Public Library.
About 15 people sat in on the meeting, representing a variety of community interests - school librarians, parents and grandparents of MUSD students, representatives of community service groups, local business owners and high school students.
They talked for about an hour, and by the end it was clear there is interest in forming a group. They agreed an important first step is to identify what MUSD's 17 libraries need.
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Martin told participants the school district supports the idea and can help set up an actual 501c3 nonprofit.
She explained the lack of district budget for books, which shocked Bonnie Fonyi, whose grandson attends Coyote Trail.
Tortolita Middle School librarian Marney Welmers said she spends $3,000 to $4,000 a year out of her pocket on library books.
"When you have 13-year-old boys who want to read, you do what it takes," she said.
Fonyi was "blown away," she said. "No librarian should be taking money out of their pocket so my grandson can have books from the library."
Martin said it would be great if the friends group could establish one or two fundraising events each year for which it becomes known.
Friends of the Pima County Public Library Director Libby Stone was on hand to explain how that group works. She said it's important for the group to have a core membership so there are always people ready to act when a need arises.
Library directors from across the county library system submit lists of needs to the friends group, she said.
"They say 'Can you fund this?' and we say 'We'll try,' " Stone said.
Former educator Angie Kayfes, vice president of the Marana Optimist Club and owner of The Tutoring Center in Marana, said it would be good for the fledgling group to tap into community service organizations and find more ways to work with small-business owners.
Many businesses think the only way to help schools is to adopt one, which can seem like a tall order for a small business, she said.
But if there were a clear opportunity to make small contributions over time - say $50 a month - more small businesses would be likely to step up, she said.
Kayfes said she was also happy to see high school students at the meeting.
Those students - Marana High School juniors Jordan Carpenter and Dakota Hogeboom - were there as representatives of the school's Key Club, which they described as the high school unit of the Kiwanis community service organization.
Carpenter said he became interested in the friends meeting after a recent talk with a school librarian in which he, too, was amazed to hear that librarians spend their own money on school libraries.
The Marana High School Key Club has 140 members, he said.
"We have people who like to volunteer, and we have people who love to volunteer," he said.
