 Happy Valentine's Day. My name is Mary Ellen Titus, and I'm a member of the Friends of the K-State Libraries, and I'd like to tell you just a few reasons why I support the libraries. When I came here as a freshman in 1952, my classes were scattered all over campus, and I soon found that I needed to find a place to study and rest and just hang out. Well, it wasn't long before I found this building. I soon learned that this library was the heart of Kansas State University. In 1984, I became part of the group that organized the Friends of the K-State Libraries. Our mission was to be an advocate for a strong library system at Kansas State University and for this community. Financial gifts helped make this possible. Since 1997, the Friends have donated about a million dollars to the library. Our donations helped the library expand their holdings and improve their facilities. Now I'm looking forward to seeing all of the art that the Friends of the Libraries are donating to hail to fill the walls of this beautiful new library. As this is really the heart of Kansas State University, what we donate goes to every department, every college, every student, and every professor. I hope you will join me today in showing some love for the K-State Library by donating and becoming a friend of the Kansas State University Libraries.