October 16-22, 2011, is the fifth annual celebration of National Friends of Libraries week making it a good time to publicly thank your local library's Friends group members who contribute so much of their time and expertise to significantly enhance your library's services. Library Friends groups donate time and raise money to help libraries with costs of children's programming, special collections, equipment, and much more.
Friends groups can make the difference between a budget increase and a budget cut for their libraries. As much money as Friends raise through book sales and other activities, a 1% increase in a library's budget can add up to tens of thousands of dollars or more. Many libraries across the country owe their new additions or new buildings to an effective advocacy campaign waged by their Friends group to ensure community support.
For more information about Friends groups in South Carolina, contact John Bradley, President of Friends of South Carolina Libraries (FoSCL) at jcbradleyjr@gmail.com. Also, contact your local library and see how you can help your library's Friends group support your library today.
