The Friends of the Belfast Free Library are volunteers who come together because they value and care about the Belfast Free Library and seek to enhance and maximize the library’s role in the community. The Friends believe that enriching the library’s resources helps to create a strong library which in turn ensures a strong community.
Why the Friends of the Library?
What’s so great about the library? There is a dizzying array of volunteer opportunities in Belfast . . . why should I join the Friends of the Library?
- The library uniquely provides free and equal access to information and technology for all
- The library maximizes return on investment through efficient use of resources, and is a low-cost model of education delivery for all ages
- The library plays an essential, non-partisan role in providing the information that allows citizens to make informed decisions
- Students who participated in public library summer reading programs nationwide scored higher on the reading achievement tests at the beginning of the next school year
- From providing a place to do homework to applying to college or looking for financial aid, library on-line services are a key part of the educational system in our country
- The library is a vital source of lifelong learning
The Friends of the Belfast Free Library is a not-for-profit organization that is self-supporting; it holds meetings governed by by-laws, elects officers and maintains their own financial records. The Friends raise money to fund programs, materials and equipment that help the library staff better meet Belfast’s need for quality library service. Membership in the Friends is open to anyone interested in supporting the Belfast Free Library. You can join by completing a membership form available at the Circulation Desk when you next visit the library.
What have the Friends done lately?
- Purchased the new water bottle filling fountain in the Abbott Room.
- Underwrote the newly installed Story Walk at the Belfast City Park.
- Hosted the Penobscot Bay Ringers concert in the Gammans Room.
- Raised funds with used book sales throughout the year including the holiday book sale, book cart sales and canvas bag sales.
Now I Really Want to Support the Friends . . . but how?
You are welcome to come be a Friend . . . and bring a friend with you.
You can join by completing a membership form available at the Circulation Desk. The Friends membership meets once-a-month to discuss and work on fundraising efforts, regularly raising funds through monthly used books sales held on the first Saturday of each month, book cart sales and canvas bag sales and other sponsored events. If you can’t make monthly meetings or assist in these efforts, you can support the Friends simply by joining. Your tax deductible membership will go a long way to support all that the Friends do for the library.
Friends of the Belfast Free Library Executive Board:
President- David Sanders
Vice President – Paul Carlson
Treasurer – David Aguiar
Secretary- open
Contact the Friends at [email protected]