CSA Finalist: JoBelle Zimmerman
By: Dave Woodman, KARK 4 CSA Producer
Updated: July 5, 2012
Mountain Home and Baxter County residents have a library to be proud of. The 75-thousand item, 9-point-8-million dollar Donald W. Reynolds Library.
JoBelle Zimmerman is the retired Children's Librarian and co-founder of Friends of the Library support group.
"Friends of the Library was founded in 1981 and I am a charter member, which is for 31 years. The main thing that we do is have four book sales a year," she says. These are from donated books from the public. We've raised 100-thousand dollars that was given to the library to help with the building of the new Donald W. Reynolds Library.
JoBelle has served the board as chairman for 13 years.
"She's an unusual leader. She leads by concensus and by example. She's never confrontational, she respects views, and is always, always, always easy to work with," says Gwen Khayat, Library Director.
"Well, she's always been active with friends, but when we started the campaign JoBelle from the very beginning was instrumental in motivating and in motivating and leading the friends group as they helped with strategic planning, as they helped us go out into the community and tell people what we needed," says Deborah Knox, Capital Campaign Chair.
She's also a leader in the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
"In 2005, I moved my membership up here and she was regent at that time, and she's a very enjoyable person to be around," says Dianne Freeman, DAR Member.
"I am the registrar for the DAR, meaning that I help women "prove up" so that they can join the organization," JoBelle explains.
The year-end party recently brought all of the Friends of the Library together.
"And I truly love the organization, and you know, when you love something, then you do good," says JoBelle.
JoBelle's love for the library resulted in almost 19-hundred hours volunteered in fiscal 2010-2011.
JoBelle Zimmerman is the retired Children's Librarian and co-founder of Friends of the Library support group.
"Friends of the Library was founded in 1981 and I am a charter member, which is for 31 years. The main thing that we do is have four book sales a year," she says. These are from donated books from the public. We've raised 100-thousand dollars that was given to the library to help with the building of the new Donald W. Reynolds Library.
JoBelle has served the board as chairman for 13 years.
"She's an unusual leader. She leads by concensus and by example. She's never confrontational, she respects views, and is always, always, always easy to work with," says Gwen Khayat, Library Director.
"Well, she's always been active with friends, but when we started the campaign JoBelle from the very beginning was instrumental in motivating and in motivating and leading the friends group as they helped with strategic planning, as they helped us go out into the community and tell people what we needed," says Deborah Knox, Capital Campaign Chair.
She's also a leader in the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).
"In 2005, I moved my membership up here and she was regent at that time, and she's a very enjoyable person to be around," says Dianne Freeman, DAR Member.
"I am the registrar for the DAR, meaning that I help women "prove up" so that they can join the organization," JoBelle explains.
The year-end party recently brought all of the Friends of the Library together.
"And I truly love the organization, and you know, when you love something, then you do good," says JoBelle.
JoBelle's love for the library resulted in almost 19-hundred hours volunteered in fiscal 2010-2011.
