Ethelbert B. Crawford Library Director 

National Friends of Libraries Week is coming up this month (October 19 – 25)  so a shout-out to the  wonderful Friends groups that are affiliated with the public libraries in Sullivan County is in order.   

Wikipedia describes friends of libraries groups as ‘nonprofit, charitable groups formed to support libraries in their communities. Support from the Friends groups may be financial, political and cultural.’  Many libraries in Sullivan County are fortunate to have a Friends group.  The Sunshine Hall Free Library in Eldred has one.  Over the years it has put together an annual Book & Bake sale that is a community event that people look forward to all year.   It raises funds to support the library Bethel Woods Museum Pass, their high school internship program, and some of the funds raised go to bolster the library collection.   The Western Sullivan Public Library also has a Friends group that has raised funds by way of a large annual book sale.  The Liberty Public Library Friends group’s next meeting is Monday, October 27th at 11am.  Stop in and see what they’re up to in support of their library and see how you might be able to contribute.  And the Mamakating Library Friends group has done things to support their library that include volunteering at Repair Café events and sponsoring gardening, ceramics and crafts programs. 

The Friends of the Library group at the Ethelbert B. Crawford Public Library (EBCPL) supports the library in many ways.  Next week is our annual budget vote and trustee election (October 15th).  The Friends remind the community of all the services the library offers and how important it is to cast their ballot this month.  As a 501(c)3 organization they can apply for grants and are always coming up with new fundraising ideas.  Those funds support special library programming and recently helped pay for a 3rd state-of-the-art early childhood literacy technology station in the children’s room.

In honor of Friends of the Library Week each year our library board hosts a reception to thank our Friends group for all they’ve done for us during the past year and specifically honors an individual Friend for the outstanding volunteerism they have given in support of the library by placing their name on a plaque mounted in our library.  Our 2025 ‘Friend of the Year’ will be announced at their monthly Friends meeting on October 14th.

If you would like to get involved in the Friends group at your public library – or help create one if your library doesn’t have one, please visit this site:https://link.edgepilot.com/s/69c79a16/FzwJNjtgtEeUHbm2giUxhQ?u=https://guides.rcls.org/c.php?g=1199863%26p=8775241.  Here you’ll find a link to all 9 libraries in the County.   The libraries with an active Friends Group all have a link where you can find out more about them.  New friends are always welcome indeed!