By Chris Nelson, Marketing Librarian

 This week is National Friends of Libraries week, and we are truly fortunate to have the support of a wonderful local Friends group, the Kinston-Lenoir County Friends of the Library. As library staff, we would like to take this opportunity to tell you more about this important organization and how you can be a part of it! We are also excited to announce that Neuse Regional Libraries will work with the Friends to host our annual Kinston-Lenoir County Friends of the Library Fundraising Marathon during the months of November and December!  

The Friends of the Library is an important organization that has made significant contributions to our libraries over the years.  Since its inception in 1978, the Friends have worked hard to help nurture and sustain our library’s mission of fostering learning, inspiring creativity and engaging our local community.  Through memberships and fundraising efforts, the Friends have provided more than $250,000 to our library system to support programming and technology services Funding has  allowed  the Library to host many recurring programs including concerts and lectures, the Coming Together series, the annual Juneteenth Community Celebration, and the Night of Joy which will return in December.  These wonderful events would not be possible without the phenomenal support of the Friends and their many fundraisers.

The Friends of the Library Fundraising Marathon will begin on Wednesday, November 1 and run until Sunday, December 31.  The fundraiser will center on National Day of Giving on November 29, but the Friends will take donations throughout November and December and will publicly recognize all donors for their generosity. This year’s fundraising goal is $2,000.   You can visit the public service desk of any Neuse Regional Library within Lenoir County and donate money in the form of cash, check, credit, and debit!  If you would like to pay online, you can scan a QR code that will be posted on the website at neuselibrary.org and NRL social media accounts and pay directly through Give Lively.  

If you would like to become a Friend of the Library,  you can register as an individual member for $10 or as a family for $20.  You are also free to join as a sponsor, patron, benefactor  or as a partner, all with individual yearly membership fees. You can receive a registration form at the Kinston-Lenoir County Public Library; you can also pay online at https://www.neuselibrary.org/kinston-lenoir-county-friends-of-the-library/ or by phone at 252.527.7066 ext. 120. For more information on the Friends of the Library or library programming or services, follow us on social media, visit neuselibrary.org, or call us at 252-527-7066, Ext. 134.