Fundraiser Helps Friends Of The Glenwood Public Library Get A Fresh Start
Patrons browse the book shelves at Saturday’s fundraising event.
he Friends Of The Glenwood Public Library’s Books, Beats and Beans event Saturday included the sale of local art.
The Friends of the Glenwood Public Library hosted their first major fundraiser of the year Saturday – “Books, Beats and Beans.”
While the Friends have been around for decades, involvement and support had lapsed over the past couple of years. Kate Wilson, Glenwood Public Library Board president and Friends of the Library treasurer, helped to bring the group back to life.
“I got a hold of some people that I knew, and asked them if they would be interested in reimagining the Friends,” Wilson said. “Essentially like January 1 this year, we kicked off the new Friends of the Library group and just started fresh.”
The Friends work to raise money for a variety of library programs including summer reading, new books, and general support. They have historically assisted in library decorating and flower planting as well.
So far this year, most of the group’s funds have come from memberships. There are a variety of levels, ranging from $10 to $100 annually, as well as a $250 lifetime member option. Wilson believes this makes membership more accessible.
“A lot of other groups have friendship levels, so we made friendship levels as well,” Wilson said. “It was pretty popular. Just from January till June, we got 40 people to join.”
The Books, Beats, and Beans event offered an additional source of funding, and was hosted in partnership with Adriano’s and Parea. With a goal of $1,000, the event included the sale of secondhand books, local art, and coffee from Gypsy Java, along with live music by local artist Jack Davis. A $5 coupon for a large Adriano’s pizza was offered to those who made purchases.
The Friends also often sell books and memberships at the Glenwood Farmers Market. Their presence has been less consistent than they hoped due to unstable weather, but there are plans to continue their stand in the future.
“The problem right now is that the weather’s so iffy that we don’t want to take books out there,” Wilson said, “If there’s a chance of rain or the humidity is so high, it feels like taking books out there, they’ll get damp.”
Looking ahead, the Friends will continue their member meetings and community engagement. Meetings are typically hosted online to ensure ease of access for those with busy schedules.
They are currently discussing plans for an event in October to celebrate National Friends Week and reflect on the year’s accomplishments.