Thursday, February 26, 2015

Meet the Friends of Marshall Public Library

Friends of the Marshall Public Library volunteers have been helping the library since 1995, raising money for items not covered by the library’s budget. A small group of dedicated Friends puts on two booksales a year and organizes the year-round booksale area near the Circulation desk.

Membership is easy and inexpensive, and puts you on the list to help with book sales: setting up the sales, taking them down, and helping fellow library lovers in finding the right book for a great price! We are always looking for help, and you can help as little or as much as you want. Year-round activities include hosting author talks, sorting book donations, tidying up the book sale area, and serving on the Friends board.

Because we are a 501c-3 nonprofit, every penny we raise goes to help the library. Over the years we have helped the library move to its current location from the old building on Lewis Street, and have supported every summer reading program via books, prizes, and other items.

Most recently, the new infusion of furniture in the library was purchased with money raised by the Friends. We’ve helped with decorations in the building on both floors, and outside with gardens, statues, fences, and benches. Book drops were purchased to help busy patrons return items without leaving their cars, and strollers, carts, and other wheeled items assist patrons as well as staff. We’ve invited, promoted, and enjoyed visiting authors for many years.

The handicapped door was installed at the request of many, and new iPads for the kids were recently added to the Children’s area. Over the years, hundreds of books, tapes, CDs, and DVDs were added to the collection. A poster near the Circulation Desk shows many more benefits the Friends have provided to the library.

The next book sale will be April 16, 17, and 18. If you are interested in helping or becoming a member of the Friends of the Marshall Public Library, contact the Circulation Desk. Annual membership dues are as  little as $3 a year. For this you get the satisfaction of helping your library, and, as we look at it, helping to pay back for all the money we save: they buy the books and DVDs for us!

No comments:

Post a Comment