As the 2024 calendar turns to April, the Montgomery City Public Library’s Friends of the Library is preparing for two big events.

The new nonprofit organization is hosting a book sale from 9 a.m.-noon on April 13 at the MCPL Community Room. Three days later, it will have its first welcome meeting at 6:30 p.m., which will also be held at the Community Room.

The Friends of the Library organization includes co-chairpersons Shannon Brock and Dhara Jethwa, secretary Lynn Arens, Anna Powell, Beth Beattie, Beth Cobb, Dave Teeter, MCPL director Gaylee Harris and board members Jim Guffie and Angel Davis.

“Everybody who is on this board does a really good job,” Beattie said. “It’s a good diverse group of people. Everybody has different ages of kids and sees different needs for the library, so it’s good in that regard. It’s a bunch of different people coming together to try to make sure that we’re getting everybody or having something for everybody.”

The group’s role is to promote and support programs and organize fundraising events for the library. It currently has a membership drive that is divided into five levels – individual ($25), family ($75), supporter ($250), contributor ($500) and benefactor ($1,000).

“To be a Friend of the Library, you pay your membership and then you get a year’s membership,” Beattie said. “Then, you volunteer time to help out with things like helping out with the book sale, helping to work it, being able to donate to different projects that they’re doing and serving time doing one of the other things. The library has added so many new programs for teenagers and children. We’re just trying to be able to give back to our community with all of those programs.”

Beattie, who is a teacher at Montgomery County High School, organized the membership payment form through Cheddar Up. She said she enjoys being part of the new organization that is helping the library become a good place to go for Montgomery City area residents.

“The library is really good for my family,” Beattie said. “It does so many good things. My kids can read any book that they want. I feel like the library has so many good varieties. They do a really good job of having new authors and new trends. My kids love it.”

For more information about the Friends of the Library, go to its Facebook page at Montgomery City Public Library Friends of the Library.