The Friends of the Center Moriches Free Public Library has been operating by volunteers for decades with a purpose to maintain an association of people interested in libraries.
The friends help the library by raising public awareness, stimulating the use of the library’s resources and services, and to support the library’s developments.
During recent years, the nonprofit has celebrated Friends of the Library Week, assisted the library on shredding days, collected nonperishable food items and collected monetary donations for local food pantries, supported the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, and even sponsored the library’s ever-popular Bicycle Book Mobile.
FOL has also maintained outreach programs, including Library at the Laundromat and the Little Free Libraries at Kaler’s Pond and Moriches Bay Recreation Facility; successful books sales, a few raffles, the Book Club, Puzzle Swap; and the annual scholarship program that presents awards to three local high school seniors.
Their fundraising efforts rely mostly on book donations from the public, where they offer them to the public on their thrift shelves in the library, as well as on specific book sale days, about twice a year.
President Eleanor Schultheis has been with the organization since 2015 and president for two years; she was also recently re-elected as president to serve the next two years. An East Moriches resident, she had her very first job working for a library, and is now retired as a clerical supervisor.
“I love the library and think it’s a great place to volunteer. We do a lot and have so many programs,” she said of the Friends. “I can’t wait to do even more for the library, getting more interest in people coming in and visiting.”
The point of the group, she said, is to help the community by raising money for the library.
“It’s very important to keep the library going, and forming a future for the children,” she said. “It’s nice to see people still using and reading books.
“Basically, we are a group of community-minded individuals who see the library as a great resource,” added working member Kathy Kleinpeter. “I just love books and the library.”
Kleinpeter has been a member since the mid-‘70s and more active since 2008. She lives in Center Moriches and is a retired schoolteacher.
She and Schultheis are currently seeking to promote their upcoming Antique, Vintage, and Premium Book Sale.
The club collects donated books eight months out of the year in an effort to sort and collect enough books for their sales. All funds raised support the purchase of equipment, furniture, and programs. With the funding, the group also recently made a donation to the purchase of property to expand the library’s parking lot.
“People don’t know what to do with them [old books], and, for years, I hated when people would throw them away. So, we collect them,” she said of the idea behind the book sales. “It’s amazing, the history behind all these books, how they are put together and are bound.”
Also, Tobi Klune, VP, heads the committee for their scholarships to honor the past director and his wife: The Maurine Rose and Carroll Gerard Donnelly Scholarship.
“The Friends of the Library are an amazing group of individuals who have consistently worked towards supporting the library,” said CM library director Marcie Litjens, noting that they have sponsored so many amazing programs and purchased extras for the library, such as a fireplace and new book drop. “Throughout the years, I have witnessed firsthand how hardworking and dedicated they are. The library is proud to have such a vibrant organization within our community.”
Go to https://centermoricheslibrary.org/departments/fol/membership-volunteer/ to become a member.
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