FOL Memberships Make Great Gifts

Membership in the Friends of the Macon County Public Library is a great gift for those who seem to have everything!

Through memberships the FOL can sponsor programs and events for children, adults and families; support the Reading Rover Bookmobile; raise money to purchase Library materials; work to increase the visibility and use of the Library as a vital part of the community, and help the Library keep its technology equipment up-to-date.

Keep your Library in mind for gift ideas by gifting a membership to the Friends of the Macon County Public Library. We have several membership levels as indicated on our membership form which you can access here.

Our Own Jim Hartje Awarded Volunteer of the Year By Friends Of North Carolina Public Libraries

The Friends of North Carolina Public Libraries (FONCPL) recognized Jim Hartje as a first place winner in their annual Volunteer of the Year Award Program. This award is presented to outstanding volunteers in public libraries statewide. The recognition certificate and cash award were presented at the Annual FONCPL Awards Luncheon at the High Point Public Library, October 25. (pictured: Jim Hartje accepting the Frannie Ashburn Award from Frannie Ashburn).

With his talents and willingness to share and serve Jim shows his true friend of the library spirit by volunteering twice a week at the Macon County Public Library. He brings his smile and talents and puts them to good use with varied tasks throughout all areas of the library. He shelves books, modifies shelving, does AV repair, covers books, and applies his carpentry skills whenever and wherever needed.

Jim put his carpentry skills into high gear when he heard of the Little Free Library project and quickly designed and built our first Little Free Library that was recently erected and unveiled at Town Hall in downtown Franklin.

The annual competition is open to local Friends of the Library members across North Carolina. Members of all Friends of the Library groups, both local and at the state level, are volunteers who work together to help support the North Carolina Public Library System. More on this nonprofit can be found at www.foncpl.org.

Jim Hartje's Little Free Library Project

Jim Hartje is a Friend of the Library extraordinaire! When he got word of the Little Free Library Project that is sweeping the nation, he decided to make a prototype of the Macon County Library, in box form, as an example of what might be constructed for the purpose of promoting literacy and community spirit.

Within hours he had constructed his plan in cardboard and took it to the Librarian, who had dreams of Little Libraries, and to the Friends of the Library Board.

There was overwhelming support for the idea, and especially for Jim Hartje’s design. Immediately, the Board voted to fund and support a Little Free Library project. Other community members are becoming involved and the first of these (the one that Jim built) will be erected near Town Hall very soon. Watch for further news of Macon County’s Little Free Libraries!