The staff of Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL) would like to recognize and thank the FCPL Friends and Advocates as part of the 17th annual National Friends of Libraries Week, October 16-22, 2022.
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Friends Bookstore Managers: Jodie
Barger, Abbey Harkrider, |
Since the FCPL Friends and Advocates were established in 1995, they have raised over $500,000 through used book sales, membership fees, and other donations to fund special programs, materials, and resources beyond the library's regular budget.
The Friends operate used bookstores at three of FCPL’s locations, seven days a week, with volunteers numbering more than 100. Friends Bookstores are located inside the Cumming Library, the Sharon Forks Library, and the Post Road Library. There will also be a Friends of the Library Bookstore at the future Denmark Library which is expected to open in 2024.
“Library staff are grateful to have the Friends and Advocates as a partner. Many people know that the Friends group supports library programs and services through funds raised from used book sales. But library staff also see the tremendous amount of organization and physical work involved in receiving and sorting donations, boxing and shipping unsellable items, and managing the bookstores. It’s an amazing, all-volunteer organization that provides an important service to the Forsyth County community,” says Library Director Anna Lyle.
The FCPL Friends and Advocates sponsor the library’s annual Summer Reading Fun program. Their generous donations have enabled the library to hire professional performers and provide prize books and other incentives that have helped to increase participation and enthusiasm levels among children and teens. Forsyth County children received over 11,000 prizes this past summer alone.
“The library had over 7000 readers participate in Summer Reading Fun this year and providing incentives for that number of patrons is no small cost. We are very fortunate to have such an active and generous Friends group supporting our library,” says Kim Ottesen, Programming Manager. The Friends also purchased the festive Summer Reading Fun t-shirts that staff wore to help promote summer reading awareness.
The Friends also sponsor large library events like Forsyth Reads Together. Earlier this year, they contributed to bring New York Times bestselling author Jeff Shaara to Forsyth County to discuss his popular novel, Gods and Generals. “Through their donations, the FCPL Friends and Advocates make it possible to provide our community with a variety of programs and events that educate and entertain our patrons,” adds Ottesen.
FCPL Friends and Advocates volunteers share their time and commitment to the library and set an example for all in how volunteerism leads to positive civic engagement and the betterment of our community.
Forsyth County Public Library encourages everyone to join the FCPL Friends and Advocates, shop at the Friends Bookstores, and thank the Friends volunteers for all they do to make our library and community a wonderful place to live, work, play, and read.
This week the Friends are hosting their annual Bag Sale. For just $5, shoppers can purchase a Friends' paper bag and fill it to the top with any combination of adult fiction and nonfiction books, DVDs, CDs, and audiobooks!
To learn more about the FCPL Friends and Advocates, please visit forsythpl.org/friendsAdvocates
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