HOW DO I BECOME A MEMBER?

Thanks for asking, but we are not a membership organization (too much paperwork!). You can become a keyholder, which allows you to come and go as you want in the Sitting Room, even if there are groups meeting there, just by asking Karen Petersen or J.J. Wilson for a key -- $2.50 deposit. It is good then to ask for a tour of the premises, so that you will know how to answer other people's FAQ's when you are there.

IS THERE A STAFF AND WHEN IS THE SITTING ROOM OPEN?

No, there is no real staff and, as you can see from the response above, no closed hours either – the Sitting Room is always open to the individual, even if there is a group meeting there. The back room even has a door, so you can get reading done even if it is punctuated by gusts of laughter,etc. from the big room. If you don't have a key, but see the lights on and the sign out, come on in – you'll be welcome.

HOW DO I CHECK BOOKS OUT?

Only duplicate copies of our books circulate and they are designated by a blue dot on the spine; this way you will always find one copy at least of the book you are hunting on the shelf, alphabetically under the author's last name (unless it is over or undersize in which case it is in a luscious unalphabetized pile on the size specific bookcases). The procedures (very simple) for checking out your book are described super clearly (in English and in Spanish) on the clipboard on the little brown check out table by the card catalogue (yes, we do have one still, though it is not kept up nowadays….)

WHAT IS YOUR POLICY ON BOOK DONATIONS?

It is hard to say no to a book, but we have become hardened about periodicals and do not accept any back files of MS, for example, though rare and unusual feminist and/or literary magazines are welcome. If you know a book or an author which is absent from our shelves and you want to fill in that gap, please do. Remember, however, that the emphasis in the Sitting Room Collection is books by, about, and of interest to women. We are, however, much more chary about just big boxes of unsorted books rejected from your own shelves – please do check with us first about any big bunchabooks. And we are super picky (we have to be) about their being in good condition, lack of mold, etc. Usually it is best just to take such undifferentiated material to the much more generalist Friends of the Library in the public library near you, o.k.? If you have books written in Spanish, we are beginning to build up a collection for those who like to read in Spanish (it is kept in the back Quiet Room, by the way). WHO FUNDS THE SITTING ROOM?

For some reason, this is the most frequently asked question and it is the easiest one to answer – as public radio always says "by members like you." We have no public monies though we do have not for profit status and donations are therefore tax-deductible. The for fee workshops do give part of the fee to the Sitting Room upkeep and there are some loyal "matrons" who pledge every year, + a book group in San Francisco who love our little library and help support it, but donations from individual users are always welcome and are never wasted. If you'd like to become a "matron," hooray! Get in touch. Our budget is kept low as we depend on volunteers to do just about everything (our only paid personnel is the housekeeper).

WHO DOES YOUR SNAZZY WEBSITE?

You might well ask – Clarice Stasz, recently retired history prof from SSU, who does it, she says, "for fun," but who has been a generous supporter of the Sitting Room for many years. And no, you can't have her! Back to Sitting Room home page.