October 16-22, 2018 is National Friends of the Library Week. It is a chance for libraries throughout the United States to recognize the contributions of their Friends of the Library groups to their communities. New Ulm Public Library is grateful to have an active group of library Friends who support our collections, programming, newsletters, and more through their efforts and donations of both materials and funding. The Friends is a nonprofit, tax-exempt (501(c)3) community organization that believes in the importance of the library and its services for people of all ages.

Each year the Friends hold a used book sale at New Ulm Public Library. This year’s sale will be held Thursday, November 3 through Saturday, November 5. Friends of the Library members, including new members, can shop the members-only preview sale from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 3. If you would like to become a member of the Friends of the Library, annual individual membership is $10, annual family membership is $20, and lifetime individual membership is $100. The sale opens to the public on Friday, November 4 from 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 5 from 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. All items remaining on Saturday will be free from 12-2 p.m.

If you’d like to contribute, please consider donating books for the sale. Donations can be dropped off at the service desk anytime during New Ulm Public Library’s operating hours through October 28. If you’d like to donate your time, please consider volunteering to help with set up, operation, or take down of the sale by contacting Library Director April Ide.

The Friends are also looking for organizations that would be interested in receiving a donation of the items remaining after the sale. For more information please call Library Director April Ide at 507-359-8331.

The money that the Friends of the Library receive from the book sale is used to fund a variety of library efforts throughout the year. The Friends donate the annual subscription to the library’s Wowbrary newsletter. Each week, subscribers receive an email that lists the new items that the library has added to its collection. This gives subscribers a chance to get their requests in early on new items. Visit www.newulmlibrary.org and click on “Wowbrary” to sign up for the newsletter.

The Friends have donated funding to library programming for both children and adults. In 2022 alone, the Friends have helped fund the Traverse des Sioux Library System’s Battle of the Books, the New Ulm Public Library’s summer reading program, and upcoming adult knitting classes.

During 2022, the Friends have also funded furniture replacements, prizes for a number of library contests and the summer reading program, books for children and adults, and continuing education for staff. The Friends of the Library are some of our most devoted patrons, too; we can always count on them to stop by the Service Desk and share what they’re reading and make recommendations for us to pass on to others.

New Ulm Public Library staff would like to express their appreciation for the generosity of time, funding, and spirit that the Friends of the New Ulm Public Library have shared with us. Their enthusiasm for our library and its services contributes greatly to the positive impact the library has on our community. If you’d like to join the Friends of the New Ulm Public Library, please contact Library Director April Ide at 507-359-8331.