“You’ve got a friend,” sang James Taylor in his 1971 Grammy Award winning song. So do five of the public libraries in Chautauqua County. Friends of the Library groups provide much needed financial support for materials, equipment, programming and services that supplement the individual library’s budgeted items. These Friends organizations, or similar ones that raise funds, exist for the libraries in Dunkirk, Fredonia, Bemus Point, Frewsburg, Mayville, Westfield, Cassadaga, Silver Creek, and soon in Brocton, according to Eli Guinnee, Executive Director, Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Library System.

In Silver Creek, Friends of the Anderson-Lee Library was founded in 1990 by John Saulitis, then Director of the Daniel Reed Library at SUNY Fredonia; Sylvia Clarke, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Anderson-Lee Library, a board member of the Daniel Reed Library’s Friends group, and a staff member at the college; and Joan LoGrasso, a Silver Creek community member. Drawing from their experiences with the college library’s Friends organization which was founded in the 1980s, the Friends of the Anderson-Lee Library incorporated and attained tax exempt status in 1994.

According to Clarke, the most important things that the Friends could do then and can do now are to increase awareness of the importance of free and public libraries, and support them by funding special programs and the purchase of library books. That mission has not only continued but has expanded. Today, Friends of the Anderson-Lee Library work with Librarian Paula Klocek, who attends the group’s first Monday monthly meetings, to determine areas of need in terms of services and programming at the library.

Librarian Klocek said, “We would be struggling without our Friends of the Library. We could not be the library we want to be a community hub.”

In Silver Creek, the library’s budget is voted on yearly by the Board of Trustees and covers such items as books and processing fees, electronic and paper subscription fees, audio books, DVDs, payroll and taxes, insurances, building maintenance, cleaning and programming. The library itself holds two fundraising events annually, a gift basket raffle at the Festival of Grapes in September, and “Buy a Best Seller” for which donors receive a book plate inside the cover of the book, plus the opportunity to become the first reader of the book upon its arrival in the library.

In recent years, the Friends have installed a new community bulletin board at the front entrance to the library on which community groups can advertise their programs; scanners for patrons to use; some of the furniture in the computer room; a donations box; the larger prizes for summer reading program participants; a large and colorful rug, part of a picture book spinner in the children’s area, some of the furnishings for the adult reading area, and the light diffusers on windows to keep the sun’s harmful rays in check. Perhaps most importantly, Friends provides significant funding for books to help the library obtain matching funds for a grant from New York State for the purchase of books.

One of the most popular contributions of the Friends group is the special programming it supports to draw community members into the library.

Klocek stated that “These events foster literacy, life-long learning, family togetherness, and a continuous relationship with our library.” Recently held programs include “Eggs-Plore ‘N More”, “Harry Potter’s Owls”, Terrarium Fun”, and “Monkey Business”. The programs to be held in the near future with partial support from Friends include “Mysterious World of Bats”, “Animal Tracks and Traces”, and “Santa’s Workshop.” Families of all ages are invited to attend at no cost, and registration is required since space is limited. For more information call 934-3468.

All of these added features to the library cost money, and most of the Friends’ funding comes from their fund raising efforts, headed by Vice-President Candy Weitz. A bake sale on the first Friday in June, a book sale that takes place the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the Festival of Grapes on the third weekend in September, and a Christmas raffle in December round out the group’s events. A smaller part of its funding comes from the membership drive. The organization raises about $12,000 each year and is on the alert for ways to provide additional programs and support to the library.

Friends of the Anderson-Lee Library will be holding a huge book sale at the Library on Sept. 17 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 18 from noon to 5p.m., and Sept. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“People come from all over to purchase books at extremely low prices,” said Weitz.

What many people do not know is that books are on sale throughout the year in the Book Sale Room at the library. Also, people bring in their used books in good condition during the entire year, which then allows Weitz to sort them continuously.

“It’s a never-ending job, but I love doing it for the library,” she said.

What keeps all of this work going is the membership in Friends of the Anderson-Lee Library. At the very low dues of $10 for a single person, $15 for a family, and $25 for a business, Friends was able to increase its membership by fifty percent.

“Membership does not require a commitment to be an active volunteer, but of course that helps”, said President Amy O’Connell. Applications for membership are available year ’round at the library’s front desk, or by calling 934-3468.

According to Mrs. O’Connell, “For 25 years there has been a core group leading us to provide programs to make the library a hub of activity where the community can meet, where people can read the news and periodicals, hop onto a high-speed Internet connection, and learn more from the interesting programs presented. For a small library, it is active and gathers people together.” She added that Friends “get to do the fun stuff to enhance the library and attract people who might not be library patrons – yet.”