Fall is here when the Friends of the Library gather for their annual membership event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Armstrong Library at 220 S. Commerce St.

This year is no exception and will be especially “cool” as we show off our newly remodeled community room, named “The Susan S. Cassagne Community Room” in honor of our longtime director, Susan Cassagne, who is now executive director of the Mississippi Library Commission.

We will also be honoring longtime FOL board member Ella McCaleb Young by designating the geneology room in her honor. Ella and her husband, Calvin, have recently moved to Newport News, Va.

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 might 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 $10, families 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. In addition to the community room remodeling, accomplishments of the past year include support for the NLCC lecture series, genealogy research and special library events. 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.

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

In addition to book sales and membership dues, the Friends raise money with the annual Christmas Tour of homes. This popular event features private homes not normally open for tours. While you are marking your calendar for Monday’s event, flip over to Sunday, Dec. 7, and save that afternoon for the Christmas Tour of Homes. This year’s event showcases four interesting houses. The homes of Fran and Wilton Nolan, Sue and Mac Pate, Jan and Dan Shiells, and Karen and Fred Callon offer a selection of older downtown homes and the “newer suburbs.” 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. See you Monday.

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

 

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