Friends of Herrin City Library receive the Mayor's Award

HERRIN - The Friends of the Herrin City Library received the Mayor's Award from Mayor Steve Frattini, on Monday, May 13, at the regular meeting of the Herrin City Council for the group's hard work and dedication.

The Friends of the Herrin City Library are volunteers who donate their time to fundraising projects for the library. They enhance the quality of our Library by providing materials, services, programming funds, special furniture, and technology equipment and resources. The Friends work hard to ensure that the library serves our community at the highest level.

The Friends group was chartered in April 1995 under William Harmon as the Chairman of the Charter Committee. A total of 112 people signed up as "Charter Members" prior to the Charter Meeting in April 1995.

Joyce Dinnis was elected as the first President of the Friends, Gloria Cravens was Vice-President and Larry Teel was the first Treasurer. Today, we recognize both the past Friends, and our current Friends: Board President, Sue Cravens, Treasurer, Cathy Brandon, Vice-President, Charlotte Delaney, Secretary, Bonnie Franklin, Membership, Marlene Koerner, Newsletter Publisher, Nick Jones, Active Members, Becky Jones and Deb Alcorn, Library Board Liaison, James Starnes, and all the 90 volunteers who make up The Friends Membership.

The Friends host an annual pancake breakfast each year, which raises about $3,000 for the Library. The Friends have an Open House coming up at the Library on April 28, which promotes library programs and resources, and membership to the Friends. The Friends also host bimonthly book sales, which not only raise funds for the library, but promote reading to our community.

The Friends have donated over $95,000 to the library since 1995. As we look forward to the next fiscal year, the library will be focusing on updating furniture, adding more ADA-compliant workstations, improving library security and technology, adding more activities and programs, and focusing on genealogy research resources.

The Friends of the Herrin City Library are a key ingredient for achieving library goals. Many thanks to the Friends of the Herrin City Library for all their hard work and time donated to make Herrin City Library one of the finest facilities in Southern Illinois.