By MISSY CHAPMAN
Cataloging Supervisor

How important is a friends group to a library?

They are of vital importance. Since the beginning of the National Library movement, friends groups have been formed by citizens who desire to actively promote library services and resources while sharing their love of libraries with their community. They foster a positive relationship between the library and the community by securing volunteers and raising funds to support the library. Money from book or bake sales can be provided to fund anything from computers, programs, microfilm machines, books, materials, etc.

A friends group exists as a separate entity from the library. They are a self-supporting non-profit charitable group. They hold meetings governed by a constitution and by-laws. They elect officers, and maintain their own financial records. Membership is open to anyone interested in helping to enhance library services in their community.

No one has a stronger voice for libraries than those who use them, raise money for them, and govern them! By joining a friends group, a person demonstrates their commitment to improving the quality of their library through valuable contributions. A library is one of a community’s greatest assets. It serves more people in all walks of life than any other institution.

The Warsaw Community Public Library had an active friends group during the renovation of the building which was completed in Sept. 1998. Shortly after, the friends group disbanded. While the library doesn’t currently have a friends group it does have many volunteers that offer their time to programs, book sales, etc. We are grateful for these dedicated volunteers as well as the friends group who assisted us in making it possible to renovate the library.

It would seem that in this day and age of hands on technology that libraries are becoming obsolete and no longer needed. The truth is that libraries are very much needed in today’s world. A library offers so many fantastic programs and services. It’s a magical place, where you can spend your afternoon discovering new and exotic places. It stores a wealth of information about genealogy and local history. It offers access to computers for research papers as well as surf the net.

So what are you waiting for? Come in to the Warsaw Community Public Library and ask about starting a friend’s group or just to see what you’ve been missing.