A library means a lot to a community, especially here in Water Valley.
It’s more than just a place you can go to check out a good book to read. For many, it’s a place where reading and learning starts when a parent checks out The Cat and the Hat or The Snowy Day to read to their little one. A place where, later, that little one can come to do research on their first U.S. Presidents essay or read the latest adventures of Dog Man.
Even later, they can come to the library and use our computers to apply for college or to research a career while their parents polish a resume, apply for a job on-line or find a book on how they can remodel that extra bedroom they’ll have in a few years once the nest is empty.
And, of course, it will always be a place to find a good book to enjoy in those spare moments life can provide.
Blackmur Memorial Library has been serving the people of Water Valley and Yalobusha County for more than four decades. And right now, we’re looking for people who love and appreciate what a library can provide to a community to give a little time and effort so we can do even more.
What Is Friends of the Library?
Simply put, a Friends of the Library program works like a booster organization for a sports team or a school. It’s a group of people who volunteer their time and effort to help the library serve its community.
That help can come from working with the Blackmur staff and Board of Trustees to plan and put on events at the library, generating support for the library in the community and spreading word about its services and programs, or raising funds for programs or library needs.
Community support of all kinds is vital to any library, but specially a small library like Blackmur. The more help and support we have, the more we are able to do.
What Programs Has FOL Done In The Past?
Different Friends programs over the past few decades have done a number of programs for both children and adults. From chocolate tastings to story time, petting zoos and arts and crafts – and of course visiting with Santa – there have been a number of great programs at Blackmur Library done with the aid of the Friends of the Library.
Some of the regular programs we have at the library each year include our Summer Library Program and story time, Brown Bag lunches with local guest speakers and photos with Santa. With help from the Friends of the Library, planning and hosting these programs is not only easier, but it will also allow us to do even more.
Not only do we need help putting on programs, but we need ideas. Things people in the community would like to see take place at the library. The Friends are an important part of that as well.
Can I Really Make A Difference?
ABSOLUTELY!
The Friends of the Library group for Blackmur has been dormant for a number of years but we are looking to breathe new life into it. The group helps support the library, plan and put on programs, enact projects at the library and raise money if needed. But mostly, it helps promote the library and its activities in the community.
In the coming months, we’ll be gauging interest in getting the Friends of the Library rolling again. If this is something you think you might be interested in, reach out to us at the library with your name, and contact information. Down the line we’ll have a meeting at the library to talk about what our plans are and how the community can help support the library in the future.
If you are interested in joining the Friends of Blackmur Memorial Library, just let us know. You can call us at (662)473-2444 or email us at blackmurlibrary@gmail.com and give us your name and the best way to contact you.