It’s National Friends of the Library Week
By Staff Reports
This week marks National Friends of the Library week. The third full week in October is set aside every year to celebrate the contributions of the thousands of volunteers throughout the world who work behind the scenes, offering their time and advocacy through volunteering, program support, and dollar donations to serve the public in tandem with their local libraries.
Friends of the Library can be traced back to the Elizabethan Period in the UK, to1913, but in 1922 the first group in the United States was founded and has flourished throughout the country. Friends, as it is referred to in many instances, are non-profit charitable groups formed to support libraries in their communities.
The Friends chapter in Gilroy has been a valuable partner for 42 years, helping to sustain the vibrant community library. On July 30, 2012, the Friends of Gilroy Library became incorporated as an official non-profit organization.
The group raises money through their used book sales, which are donated by community members and the library. The proceeds from memberships, donations, and used books go directly to the library to fund a variety of programs and needs, which help ease the financial burdens on as many people as possible in a variety of ways.
These funds are used and dispersed in a wide variety of ways including literacy programs, activities, and the purchase of much-needed supplies. They also help pay for the summer activities and various literacy programs provided free through the library, automative education series, the cooking and nutrition class, how to grow vegetables in the fall and winter, computer classes, and the plethora of children’s programs, and family story times. Without the support of the Friends group these programs would need to be pared back.
Celebrate the 23 volunteers of the Gilroy Friends of the Library and drop by the Isabel Jewell Bookstore located on the first floor of the Gilroy Library from Oct. 20-25 to say hi and take part in the specials offered during the week, along with a few surprises.
Get ready to fill a grocery bag with books, CDs, or Blu-rays for $5 if you are a member or $8 if you are not yet a member. And if you are feeling generous, please consider a cash donation of any amount to help support this important work. If you are interested in becoming a member, a volunteer or both, please let us know.
The bookstore is open from 1 to 3 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Friday, from 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every fourth Saturday. And don’t forget the Bag Sale from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every second Saturday of the month.