Fall is here when the Friends of the Library gather for their annual membership event today, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the beautiful house of Jan and Dan Shiells, 606 N. Commerce St.

Light refreshments will be served. No RSVP is necessary, and, no, you don’t have to be an FOL member to come, but we hope you will be one when you leave!

You ask, “Who are the Friends of the Library and what do they do?” We are community folks who have the common goal of supporting our library. Each fall, we host a social event, “A Gathering of Friends,” to celebrate accomplishments, encourage memberships and welcome new officers and board members. Yearly membership is affordable: individuals are $15 and contributors are $25 or more. Last year we enjoyed our largest membership ever, and we hope to add to that number this year.

What we do is help the library. The remodeled Susan Cassagne community room has hosted numerous civic and educational events, including movie nights, tax workshops, computer classes, organization meetings, as well as our book sales.

Other accomplishments of the past year include support of genealogy research and special library events such as the Summer Reading Program. FOL donates memorial books and gives books from the Friends room to local nursing homes and shelters.

We have purchased furniture, computers, and equipment and provided funds to assist with the heating and cooling system as well as painting and other improvements.

FOL raises money for the Armstrong Library through membership dues, sales of our very successful cookbook, “In the Company of Friends” and through twice monthly used book sales.

Additionally, the Friends raise money with the annual Christmas Tour of Homes. This popular event features private houses not normally open for tours. Mark your calendar for Sunday, Dec. 6 and to that afternoon for the Christmas Tour of Homes.

This year’s event showcases four interesting houses. The homes of Lou Ellen and Guy Stout, Marcia and John McCullough, Meg and Mac Hazlip (Elward), Gay and Will Austen offer a unique selection of downtown houses. All will be beautifully decorated for Christmas.

Join us for fun, friendship and fellowship. Come, bring a friend who is not a Friend, and support the good works of the FOL. Recent vandalism and A/C problems indicate there is much more work needed to keep our library available, See you tonight!

For further information, contact the library at 601-445-8862 or check the FOL website at www.NatchezLibraryFriends.org.

 

Maria Bowser is the president of the Friends of the Library.