LIBRARY FRIENDS ANNOUNCE ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

November
1, 2008 (San Diego) - The Library Friends of San Diego County (LFSDC) announced
the winners of its annual essay contest, with this year's theme, "Libraries,
Loud or Quiet?" First, second and third place winners in the youth, teen
and adult categories will be honored by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors
at the Tuesday, November 18 meeting, at 9:00 a.m.

The LFSDC is the umbrella group of all County Library Friends of the Library
organizations.  Winners in each category were awarded $100; those in second
place received $50; and third place honorees won $25 from the LFSDC.

“This was our sixth annual contest and had the most entries ever – 166
representing 28 library branches,” said president Dick Wayman.  “Libraries
used to be repositories for books, places of silent contemplation, but not
these days. We wanted to hear how the public feels about libraries as community
centers. We confirmed that there is a difference of opinion as to what goes
on in a library but most indicated that we should try to accommodate both views.”

The nine winners represented seven library branches (Campo-Morena, Julian,
La Mesa, Poway, Ramona,  Rancho Santa Fe and Vista). 

First-place winner, elementary school student Hanna Schuster of Campo, wrote, "I
want it loud so I can read to my baby sister. It would be nice to be able to
tell (people) about what you are reading. I think that talking in a library
is awesome."

Benet Landon of Ramona, who took second place in the teen group, countered
with, "...I have always thought of a library as a quiet place filled with
people who want to get a good grade or somebody who loves to read the sweet
words of a book."

Adult category winner, Laurie Alloway of Poway, wrote, "The rich variety
of programs available for all ages has made the library a community oasis – a
fun place to connect with others, or, if preferred, to disconnect and slink
into comfy chairs next to sunny windows of solitude."

Winning essays will be posted on the LFSDC Web site: www.lfsdc.org  Winning
writers are as follows:

Youth:
First: Hanna Shuster, Campo-Morena Library
Second: Isaiah Brown, Ramona Library
Third: Samuel Bennett, Julian Library

Teen:
First: Ariana Huzery, Rancho Santa Fe Library
Second: Benet Landon, Ramona Library
Third: Emma Rudolph, Vista Library

Adult:
First: Laurie Alloway, Poway Library
Second: Elizabeth Dobbs, Vista Library
Third: Miriam Raftery, La Mesa Library