Friends of Door County Libraries Support Many Programs

Oct. 21-27, 2018 was National Friends of the Library Week – a chance to recognize the contributions of the Friends of the Libraries within our communities. The Friends of Door County Libraries is a nonprofit organization made of up of volunteers who feel strongly that a library is an important part of the community. Membership is open to all and can be as simple as paying the membership fee, but can also include volunteering at events and book sales.

Each year the Friends support each of the eight branches of the Door County Library through discretionary funds, scholarship advancement, and individual special grant requests from the branches. Curious George came to the Sturgeon Bay branch in January, toys were added to the Forestville branch toy barn, and new books were given to the five school districts’ Title I programs for their summer programming and giving gently used books from the basement collection to new Habitat for Humanity homes, just to name a few ways the Friends have touched our communities.

Even though they are based in Sturgeon Bay, Friends monies flow throughout Door County through movie licensing of the films being screened in the branches, Book Pages magazine subscriptions handed out at each branch, and through additions to the audiobook and DVD collections across the county. And if one can’t make it out to the library, the Friends’ Walking Books program provides books and movies to community members, even becoming the driving force in starting book groups like the one in Pine Crest Village.

Door County Reads book and author talks are also a pillar in the Friends’ commitment to community. “We want to get all of Door County involved through book discussions, arts events, and share the excitement of reading one book as a group,” said Friends President, Jan Serrahn. “Author Kao Kalia Yang in February had a wonderful turnout. And now Dan Egan, plus another soon-to-be-named author, promises an exciting upcoming season and a continuation of this great program.”

All of these programs come through membership dues and donations. This year the Friends had six Saturday sales along with their big annual sale in July. The final sale of the year is Dec. 1, 9 am – 12 pm.

To find out more about upcoming events and the Friends of Door County Libraries, visit DoorCountyLibrary.org/Friends.