News
Our innovative and steadfast director, Jackie Adams, retired in December 2020. Still in the middle of the Covid panic, Arnessa Dowell came to be our new director.- Given $10,000 to the library for general support, $1,600 to the library through the Hallway Bookshelf Sales, and another $3,500 for new bookshelves. The Friends also gave $350 in Christmas Cash donations to all 14 staff members as a Holiday cheer for their hard work.
- Supported literacy in Kent County through a $1,600 gift to Robbi Behr and Matthew Swanson for their Busload of Books Campaign. Their family will visit one school in all 50 states over the coming year, giving books to school students at each stop. You can follow their progress on their website busloadofbooks.com
- Continued their support of the Local Management Board of Kent County sponsorship of Imagination Library. This program gives a book each month of the year to over 400 kids in Kent County ages 0 – 5. This is a wonderful program that ensures by the time they enter school each kid will have their own library of 60 books.
- Organized another successful September Book Sale where we and our supporters moved almost 20,000 books, CDs, DVDs and puzzles out the doors, bringing in over $7,000 and making a great many people happy.
- Organized, along with library staff, a big surprise for Wanda Sherriff, chief manager of our book sales. As she walked into the Library she was greeted by officials from Maryland Library Association who presented her with one of three Volunteer of the Year awards issued in 2022. This could not have gone to a more deserving Friend, one who organizes the sales and the crew of volunteers who put in over 1,000 hours yearly prepping, packing and selling contributed books.
A Fall Book Sale is coming!
September 23rd is Members Night. Be sure you have renewed your membership so we can mail your invitation! We have lots of books you will love.
Two things the Friends have bought for the library: a beautiful bench crafted by Bob Ortiz and a neon wave at the entrance to the teen room.
Puzzles galore are available at the library…..perfect winter activity…..$2 apiece…..going fast!
In 2020 the Friends of the library helped the library by paying for the hall flooring and a donation to Project 2020. The shelves are up, books are back and the library looks wonderful. The renovations have brought new light and clarity to the building.
This month’s special Pop Up sale is Gardening. Look for great deals in the hall of the library!
In 2018 the Friends also supported the Summer Reading Program and Imagination Library, purchased the new Ortiz bench and Wave Light, gave $2,500 to the Kent County Board of Education to bring Wil Haywood to speak with students and give each student a copy of his book, Tigerland. Our volunteers are constantly sorting books so we can contribute more to the library, year by year. We have accomplished a lot in forty plus years.
June 1st our Annual Author Day event features Casey Cep, author of Furious Hours.
Please welcome Madhu Sidhu to our FOL board.
Books are coming in for the Spring Book Sale in large numbers. Please call ahead if you are making a large donation. And only give us books that are saleable- good condition, no encyclopedias or textbooks.