Sue Lind: Friends of the Fairfield Public Library lend helping hand

Friends of the Fairfield Public Library might be a ?pretty simple little organization,? but the group enhances the community?s library services by funding projects not in the normal operating budget.

Sue Lind, president of Friends of the Fairfield Public Library, explained most of the library?s budget is spent on books and overhead expenses, so the Friends help out by funding some of the extra things the library wants and needs that are above the budget.

Lind said recent examples of projects Friends has funded include computer workstations, a security camera system, author events, educational family programs and the summer reading program.

The Friends biggest fundraising effort is its biannual book sale.

Lind said the next book sale is being planned for the summer signup event set the first weekend in June.

The signup event is a one-stop information and registration for summer activities planned by area organizations, such as Fairfield Art Association, Fairfield Park and Recreation Department, Jefferson County 4-H and the library?s summer reading program. And of course there are activities planned and the book sale to browse through.

Lind said members of Friends are able to attend an early-bird preview of the book sale to have the first opportunity to purchase books they would like.

Annual dues for an individual membership are $10, and there also are memberships for couples and families.

?It?s a nice way to help the library for a small amount,? said Lind.

?People volunteer for the sale, to put it up, man it and take it down,? said Lind.

Many of the books in the Friends? sale have been donated.

?You can drop off books at the library,? said Lind. ?You can drop a box off inside or even drop books in the overnight box. The library staff goes through the books and sometimes adds them to its collection or puts them in the sale.?

The Friends also have a ?Seeds to Grow? fundraiser to benefit the library.

The program was developed by Seed Savers Exchange to make heirloom seed packets available at a discount. Seed Savers Exchange is an organization in Decorah that implements heirloom-seed saving.

Friends are offering six heirloom collections: Big Salad Bowl; Container Magic; Kids Favorites; Pizza Party; Heritage Garden; and Passion Flower. Each collection has four seed packets.

The cost of each four-pack is $10; 40 percent of the sale of each packet goes to the library and 60 percent goes back to Seed Savers.

Brochures with order forms are available at the library?s front desk. Payment, payable to Friends of the Fairfield Public Library, is required with each order.

?It?s a great thing to do now when you?re thinking of spring,? said Lind.

Lind said the Friends of the Fairfield Public Library had about 60 memberships, overseen by a board of directors.

?We just love books,? she said.

Anyone interested in joining can call or visit the library for information.