(FORT WAYNE, IN) – October 15 through 21 is National Friends of Libraries Week and the Allen County Public Library is marking the occasion with a call for new members to join the Friends of the ACPL and support the critical work of the membership-based group.
Friends of the Library groups operate independently from the libraries they support. Through used book sales at the ACPL and member donations, the Friends support library initiatives such as the annual Book Bowl Trivia Contest, and SPARK Summer Learning Program.
One such project is the “Learn and Grow Library Garden” located at the Hessen Cassel branch where local children can plant seeds, tend to the garden, and watch it bloom every summer. The garden was established in 2015 and continues to inspire a love of gardening and nature in the Hessen Cassel neighborhood eight seasons later.
“We are so grateful to our Friends members for their dedication to these programs,” said ACPL Executive Director Susan P. Baier. “Their support helps us fill in the gaps and add features that make our branches and offerings richer and more engaging for our community. Without their support, we simply wouldn’t be able to do many of the fun, creative, inspiring, and out-of-the box thinking that sets our Library among the best in the country.”
The Friends of the ACPL are currently seeking new members who can join by visiting SupportACPL.org. Membership begins at $25 per year.
About the Friends of the ACPLThe Friends of the Allen County Public Library, a non-profit, membership organization, has a common concern for the library’s expansion and participation in community life. Since 1981, the Friends of the Allen County Public Library has made significant contributions to the steady growth of the library and its services to the community.
About the ACPLThe Allen County Public Library has fostered lifelong learning and discovery in northeast Indiana for more than 125 years. The ACPL consists of fourteen branches throughout Allen County, serving more than one million visitors per year. The ACPL’s collection includes more than 2.7 million items, with a circulation total of 3.6 million items borrowed annually. It also houses The Genealogy Center, the nation’s largest public genealogy research center, and The Rolland Center for Lincoln Research, consisting of more than 20,000 artifacts related to President Abraham Lincoln.