Friends of the Library

In the late ‘70’s a fellow in a neighboring community spoke at a public meeting and railed against the high cost of running the municipality.  One of his more memorable comments was, “We don’t need no library.”   Could any five words better explain why libraries are so very important to any community?

Cranford’s recently renovated library is an essential asset to our community and meets our needs in a variety of ways.  One of the reasons our library is able to do so much is that it has so many Friends.

The Friends of the Library is an organization founded in 1979 by Wes Philo, Edith Coogan, Dave Kinnear. Irma Mirante, Helen Hoffman, Jo D’Arcangelo, Penny Brome and Ida Young.  The Friends raise needed funds, give generously of their time and energy and act as advocates for our library within the community.  More than 300 of our neighbors are members of this organization.

The Friends of the Library will celebrate their silver anniversary on Saturday, January 31st.  They will host a reception in the main reading room of the library from 1 to 2 p.m. and you’re invited.  At the reception, Friends president, Judy Panagakos, will unveil the Favorite Books quilt.  This quilt of 30 squares depicts the favorite book of 30 different readers. Cranford resident Ellen Hess, who teaches Textile Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology, spearheaded the creation of this project.  The quilt will be prominently displayed on the large wall between the first and second floor. This quilt is just one of the little extras that the Friends have provided to our community.

It is the Friends who sponsored the popular foreign film series at the library.  Last year films from Afghanistan, Argentina and China were aired. In the coming months movies from France, New Zealand and Australia are scheduled.  The films cost about $100 each, but are shown free of charge. 

The Friends also sponsor a lecture series. The next lecture features Beatles scholar, Vinnie Bruno   His talk, “The Beatles: From Liverpool to Abbey Road.” is slated for Thursday evening, February 5th at the community center.

The Friends subscribe to the large print edition of the New York Times weekly magazine and the large print edition of the Reader’s Digest so that those with failing eyesight have interesting material to read.  They have also purchased a 14-volume set of poetry, as well as book sets on art and music.  The library is more than books and the Friends have started a DVD collection of academy award winning films.

Money raised by the Friends has purchased typewriters, computers, furniture and drapes for our library.  They have also bought a video projector and lectern with a built-in public address system for the auditorium. One of the Friends upcoming efforts is the Be a Sweetheart campaign. Each year the library develops a wish list of worn books from its classics collection that need to be replaced.  The Friends provide a handsome nameplate that the donor may inscribe.

Each year the Friends of the Library raise roughly $10,000 through dues, a used books sale, the marketing of tote bags and book lights and, of course, fundraisers. In their recent fundraiser the Friends distributed 150 bright red penny banks to patrons and groups.  Their goal is to raise a mile’s worth of pennies – that’s 84,440 pennies laid edge to edge. Appropriately, the money raised will be spent on books and other items for the children’s library.

The Friends are much more than just fundraisers. If you can’t get to the library and want books to read, the Friends will deliver them to you.  They also maintain bookshelves at the Senior Housing complex, convalescent center and train station.  In the summer months, they deliver books to our swimming pools. 

The Friends of the Library very quietly enrich our lives and make Cranford a better place. Their annual membership drive is now underway ( $10.00 and $5.00 for Seniors and Students).  The Friends are like the Marines, they can always use a few more good people.  If your not a member, why not become one?
Marc Kelley can be reached at mkelley@eclipse.net or at P.O. Box 142, Cranford, NJ 07016