Trumbull library seeks to expand circle of Friends

TRUMBULL — The Friends of the Trumbull Library is looking to reinvent itself — but, to do so, it needs more members, said Friends President Courtney Bahr.

To that end, the Friends are hosting a membership drive from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Community Room of the library, 33 Quality St. Bahr said the drive is part of an ongoing effort to “revamp” the Friends, and increase the scope of what it does.

“We wanted to strengthen the community and promote education,” Bahr said. “We wanted to have more programs so we can bring patrons of Trumbull together more.”

According to its website, Friends of the Trumbull Library was created in 1970 to raise funds for a new library. The group has continued with its fundraising efforts to help pay for additions to the library’s collections and for special library programs, such as the children’s summer reading program and townwide book events.

Bahr said the Friends are largely known for their fundraisers, including book sales and a regular miniature golf tournament held inside the library. But she said the hope is to shift the focus of the group to providing more educational programming. One program Bahr and other Friends are particularly interested in is a “literary luncheon,” in which a local author would be invited to the library to have lunch and chat.

She said there’s also a hope that an expanded group of Friends would lead to more and better fundraising ideas, and expansions of current ones, such as the miniature golf event, which is slated to take place in March.

“We’re trying to make that a little bit bigger this year than it had been in the past,” Bahr said.

Annual membership to the Friends requires a $10 donation. In addition to new members, the group is also looking for active participants in planning, advertising and hosting community events.

For more information on the Friends of the Trumbull Library, visit https://www.trumbull-ct.gov/941/Friends.