Celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week by supporting local library

Posted October 12, 2017 11:00 pm

Submitted by Algonquin Area Public Library District

The week of Oct. 15-21 is National Friends of Libraries Week, a time to honor the volunteers who contribute their time to enhance library services, materials, and facilities.

At its Sept. 27 meeting, the library board adopted Resolution 2017-02: Proclamation of National Friends of Libraries Week, a formal recognition of our Friends in connection with the American Library Association national celebration. Special displays around the library will highlight the resources and equipment made possible by their support.

Since its founding in 1991, the Friends of the Algonquin Area Public Library District have raised more than $260,000 to cover items not supported by the library's budget, including Summer Reading T-shirts, employee scholarships, and 3,000-plus softcover children's books to give away at community parades. The Friends were integral in bringing cutting-edge technology to the library's programming with the purchase of a MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3-D Printer in 2014.

Their popular annual Fall Book Sale is right around the corner on Nov. 2-5 at the Eastgate Branch Library.

Currently, the Friends' membership stands at more than 20 Friends actively volunteering their time to assist the group with fundraising efforts that include their popular book sales held in the spring, summer and fall. They also are active supporters of The Literacy Connection in Elgin, participating in its annual Trivia Bee and other events.

Executive Director Stephen Bero notes that the Friends of the Library play an integral role in serving the community. "Our Friends walk the talk of supporting the library in everything they do," he says. "We are grateful for their service and their support of all library staff."

Friends' membership is open to library district residents high school age and older. Learn more about what they do, how they do it and how you can help at their meetings at 11:30 a.m. on the first Tuesday of the month at Eastgate.

For questions, visit www.aapld.org/help-out or contact Jim Golden at (847) 658-8996 or eflut@yahoo.com.

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