Honoring Dr. Bob Parman

[caption id="attachment_399" align="alignleft" width="198"] Dr. Bob Parman[/caption]

Honoring a remarkable library advocate....

As Dr. Bob Parman completes his second three-year term on The Library Foundation’s Board of Trustees, we pause to acknowledge his exceptional service to the foundation and the library. It has been an honor and privilege to serve with Bob. Bob’s leadership and advocacy on behalf of children is remarkable.  As a retired pediatrician who came to this board as a highly respected advocate for children and families, Bob did not disappoint. He is a constant supporter of children’s literacy and that hasn’t been more evident than with his encouragement and vocal advocacy for the foundation to financially support the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and the mobile early childhood learning center. Bob and Frankie’s generous gift in 2011 provided the funds to acquire the marvelous addition to the kid’s library – the delightful bronze bench featuring a little girl and a dog so cute they beckon kids to sit and enjoy a good book with them. This sculpture encourages children to read while also celebrating the connections that humans have with animals and it is a lasting legacy for our library. Bob served on the finance committee all six years of his board service. During that time the foundation has raised funds for two bookmobiles – Sherlock and Alice – and are well on our way to funding next year’s mobile early childhood learning center. It is fitting we recently created the early childhood fund during Bob’s tenure. In 2010, Bob served as our appointment to the library’s Health Information Neighborhood Advisory Committee. He helped to provide a high level of credibility to that project and that neighborhood became a model for the creation of future neighborhoods at the library. It was a lucky day for the foundation when Dr. Parman decided to join our board and we are fortunate he has agreed to continue as an emeritus member. Bob, thank you for your love of the library, for your advocacy for children’s literacy and for your exceptional service on The Library Foundation.