In Memoriam—Raymond Jon Reynolds 1946-2009
The West Hollywood Library Fund is sorry to announce the passing of Ray
Reynolds, Director of Economic Development for the City of West
Hollywood.Ray died unexpectedly on November 2, 2009, leaving behind his partner of 28 years, Randy Pack, his brother, sister-in-law and nephew and a host of family members, friends and work associates.
In his work for the City of West Hollywood, Ray was a tireless supporter and facilitator of the City’s 25th Anniversary Capital Project, LibraryPark. He will be greatly missed by the many people whose lives he touched.
West Hollywood Resident to be Honored at LibraryPark
His close friend Steven Hamilton recalls that he and Kevin met while working at Bergdorf Goodman in 1985. They quickly discovered a mutual love of books, which led to a long working relationship and close friendship. Literary classics, history, anthropology and biography were among Kevin’s favorites, and he frequently gave books, carefully selected to match his friends’ interests, as Christmas gifts.
Matthew Amendolaro, who knew Kevin for 15 years, noted he followed the example of his mother, a literacy volunteer in the 1950s and 1960s. He recalls that people joked with Kevin for carrying a bag of reading material wherever he went, and called him “a real special down-to-earth amazing friend.”
Kevin signed up to be a literacy volunteer with the City of Los Angeles library system and taught adults to read at libraries throughout the city. Shortly after he died in May 2009, at the age of 46, five of Kevin’s close friends organized a memorial service, held in August, and considered a more permanent tribute to his memory. They had recently learned of the West Hollywood Library Fund and its plans for LibraryPark. It seemed appropriate to commemorate his love of books, literacy and his adopted city by endowing a park bench in his memory.
Approximately 20 people responded to his friends’ request to raise a total of $5,000, the cost for naming a bench in his honor at LibraryPark.
If you would like to make a donation in honor of Kevin Mark Reilly, please download this Tribute Gift Form.
West Hollywood Library Booth at the Book Fair Attracts Hundreds
On
a beautiful and sunny Sunday, October 4, hundreds of visitors to the
West Hollywood Book Fair stopped by the West Hollywood Library tent to
learn more about the new library opening in 2011 and to participate in
children’s activities.
Throughout the day, visitors stopped by
to spin the “reading wheel” provided by Community Library Manager Susan
Anderson and Youth Services Librarian Kelly Conn and win children’s
books, animal bookmarks, colorful pencils and other prizes. Several
young guests also drew self-portraits and pasted them onto an image of
LibraryPark’s new children’s theatre. The poster will hang in the
children’s area of the current library.
Bookseller Nick Harvill
made a presentation on design books and spoke about the value of a
design collection in West Hollywood where outstanding examples of
interior and furniture design are available in showrooms at the Pacific
Design Center and the Avenues of Art and Design. Later in the day,
David Kruskall of Jewish Vocational Services offered advice on job
seeking and resume writing, a sample of the career counseling services
that will be available at the Wells Fargo Career Development Center at
LibraryPark.
We are delighted that so many people chose to stop by the booth and learn more about their new library.
Landmark HIV/AIDS Collection to Expand at LibraryPark
For
over 20 years, the West Hollywood Public Library has been home to a
landmark in the battle against HIV/AIDS. It all began when community
activist Ron Shipton, dismayed that individuals were spending their own
efforts and money to acquire up-to-date information on the epidemic,
asked the library to purchase materials on HIV/AIDS that would be
accessible to the entire community.
The result was the opening of the first HIV information center in a public library on April 10, 1989. It is estimated that 35% of West Hollywood’s residents are gay or lesbian, and that 10% of the population is HIV-positive, the highest proportion of any city in Los Angeles County. With the city’s unique demographics, there is a great need for current, accurate information on HIV and AIDS.
Join Us
For more information about the campaign and how you can help, please contact, LouAnne Greenwald, Campaign Manager, lgreenwald@weholibraryfund.org
If you would like to receive this newsletter by email, please visit: http://weholibraryfund.org/getinvolved/email and sign up.