Do you have special memories of Hopkinsville-Christian County Public Library? Perhaps a school field trip? Or maybe snuggling up for storytime? Or maybe you discovered the library as an adolescent or adult?
Whatever your introduction to our local library, it probably holds a special place in your heart. The Hopkinsville-Christian County Friends of the Library, or FOL, organization puts that love of the library into action.
FOL supports the library in its mission to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our community by promoting and financially supporting the resources, services, and needs of the library.
With budgets tight and the role of the library in our community ever evolving, the library has needs that cannot be funded through traditional methods. This is where FOL steps in to fill the gap. For example, in March 2023, FOL provided HCCPL with $3,081 in order to purchase three point of sale terminals, with receipt printers, and cash drawers.
Tiffany Luna, executive director of the library, said such practical additions to our library keep it up-to-date with current library standards.
“The purchase of new POS systems, receipt printers and cash drawers is a huge upgrade for us from our old registers,” Luna said. “In the past, we had two different registers upstairs and downstairs which created confusion among our staff members.”
With the new system, line items can be created for all of the different items HCCPL has for sale and everything is standardized, she said.
“We also are able to take many different forms of payment including credit cards, debit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay,” she said. “These features make our services more accessible to our patrons.”
In addition to the POS systems, FOL has contributed to the library in many ways over the past few years, including a $2,000 donation to the 2023 Summer Reading Program and a $2,000 donation to the 2024 Summer Reading Program. FOL also donated half of the funds toward the purchase of the library’s book drop in 2022.
“We are grateful for everything our Friends of the Library does to support us as we serve our community,” Luna said.
Become a Friends of the Library member
Joining Hopkinsville-Christian County Friends of the Library is easy.
Memberships cost $10 for students; seniors ages 65 and older; and active-duty military. Individual memberships cost $25, and family memberships are $50. Businesses also are encouraged to join FOL, with memberships ranging from $75 to $250, depending on the number of people the business employs. A lifetime membership costs $500.
Plans are in the works for an all-member meeting where we can get to know one another, ask questions, and, most importantly, brainstorm ways to support our community library. In the meantime, questions about membership can be sent to friendsofthelibrary.hccpl@gmail.com.
Sign up can be completed via FOL Sign Up, or by picking up a form at the library, 1101 Bethel St.
Kristen Johnson Middlebrooks is a Hopkinsville native who, after living all around the U.S., moved back to her hometown in 2022. She is interested in literacy and community involvement.
