California Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina

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The California Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, formed in 1990 in the Sacramento area, are committed to exploring ways of supporting the new Library of Alexandria, Egypt, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. Comprising transplanted Alexandrians, Egyptian, Greek, Italian, and Arab Americans, librarians, educators, public servants, and businesses, these California Friends have continued to contribute strongly to the Bibliotheca. A California Senate Resolution, adopted August, 1990, recognized the value and potential of Californians to give support to the revival of the new Library of Alexandria, and to further California's participation in the Friends

Meeting informally, the California Friends have raised funds for library materials, equipment, and travel and training of Bibliotheca staff in California. They have also participated in activities sponsored and hosted by Egypt when the Consulate was located in the San Francisco Bay Area, and meetings sponsored by chapters in Mexico and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Current contacts are Rosalie Amer (Chair) and Lois Shumaker (Webmaster).

Each fall a delegation of Californians attends the Annual Meeting of the International Friends in Alexandria. It is a time for renewing friendships with the other Friends chapters and with Bibliotheca staff, carrying out the business of the International Friends, participating in programs offered by the International Friends such as poetry readings and the Readings of Homer, and delivering the Californians' donations of materials to the Library identified by CFBA bookplates.

Over the course of almost 30 years the purpose and contributions of the California Friends have matured to meet the challenges and needs of the Bibliotheca.

Purposes of the California Friends of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina:

• to educate and inform the public about the BA;
• to promote the BA image in California and in other western parts of the U.S., and when feasible work with the office of the Consul General of Egypt in California;
• to perform good works, such as giving professional advice, assisting with collection and program development, developing and offering training programs for BA staff in California in local libraries and science centers;
• to disseminate information about the BA in academic institutions, and professional and community organizations;
• to raise funds in support of the above objectives and for needs specific to BA programs such as collection development or equipment