Murray Hill ‘Friends’ Celebrate National Friends of Libraries Week

Friends of the Bill Brinton Murray Hill Library. Left to right seated:  Mary Lou Sutherlin, Elizabeth Breting, Judy Klein, Secretary, Marjorie Marvin, Corresponding Secretary. Left to right standing: John Peck, Heather Hanson, Ronna Bell - Treasurer, Nancy DeLander Beecher, President. Board members not pictured include Jay Stuckey, First Vice President; Judy Williams, Kara Thigpen, Brenda Schwend and Bobbie Devereux.

Friends of Bill Brinton Murray Hill Library, 918 Edgewood Ave, in Jacksonville, Fla. observed the 16^th annual National Friends of Libraries Week, Oct. 20-26, with a luncheon.

Founded in 2010, the Friends raise money for the Bill Brinton Murray Hill Library to provide resources for additional programming, equipment, children’s events, and summer reading programs.

"The Friends understand the critical importance of well-funded libraries and advocate to ensure that our library gets the resources it needs to provide a wide variety of services to all ages," said Friends President Nancy DeLander Beecher. “This ranges from Lit Chats with local authors to recognizing the library staff for their important work during National Library Week.”

Upcoming Friends events include sponsoring a Family Holiday Party, Dec. 14, 2-5 p.m. and a Lit Chat with poet Mary Lou Sutherlin, Jan. 15 at 4 p.m.

Past accomplishments include a landscaping project, new bicycle racks, installation of a picture wall system for art displays and participation in Murray Hill community events such as Murray Hill-o-Ween and Taste of Murray Hill.

The week is coordinated by United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. For more information visit www.murrayhilllibrary.org.