Friends of the Library

Make a difference!

Why join the Friends?

The Friends of Berkeley County Library System is an incorporated non-profit organization of volunteers. We promote, enhance, and support the Berkeley County Library System to bring all the exciting, involving, inspiring programs our county’s residents both need…and deserve.

Support from our members and other generous donors has enabled BCLS to offer special programs that have a huge impact on our community. While public funding supports basic library operations, support from the Friends allows the library to do more for their customers. It’s what makes the difference between a good library and a great library.

Money is raised through membership fees, donations, Friends’ book sale shelves at each library, and special fundraising events. Funds from the Friends help support programs and initiatives for children, teens, and adults including the Summer Reading Program for all 6 BCLS library branches and the mobile library.

The Friends of the Berkeley County Library, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization.

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Become a Friend Make a Donation Volunteer Opportunities News

How can you be a Friend?

Whether through a monetary donation or a gift of time and talent, you can make a difference. Our memberships begin as low as $10/year starting in the month you join.

Membership Benefits Include:

Because we are a 501(c)3 organization, your membership and/or donation is tax deductible.
Entry to Book Sale preview events and “first choice” for workers.
Discounted tickets to select FRIENDS fundraisers.
Invitation to attend Friend’s Annual Meeting and Local Author Meet & Greet.

Ways to help:

Sorting, pricing, and managing the bookstore at the library
Planning or volunteering at special events such as a community book sale, an author signing, the TLC, etc.
Managing the membership list and communications
Hosting membership drives or recruiting new members
Hospitality and reaching out to members when a volunteer opportunity arises
Updating and creating new marketing materials and maintaining public relations such as social media.

See a full description of our committees and our upcoming events under the Volunteer Opportunities tab.

It feels so good to be a Friend!

As a member of the Friends of the Library, you will be rewarded in a thousand ways every year – with hundreds of children’s smiles as they receive their Summer Reading t-shirt and medals, the sincere appreciation from library staff for your support, and the satisfaction of knowing you make a difference to one of Berkeley County’s most important resources.

Join Today & Make a Difference!

Monetary Donation

Whether you are a member of the Friends or not, your donation is greatly appreciated. Donations to the Friends of the Berkeley County Library are fully tax-deductible.

You can make a monetary donation:

Online with a credit card by clicking the donate button on this page.
By placing a donation check in a Friend’s envelope at one of the library branches (drop envelope in the book sales payment box).
Or by printing a Friends of BCLS_Monetary Donation Form and mailing it with a check to the Friends of the Berkeley County Library System, 100 Library Street Moncks Corner, SC 29461.

Non-monetary Donation

We accept donations of gently used books, CDs, DVDs, and other media at all 6 BCLS library branches. If you would like to donate any of these items, you do not need to complete the form below. You can take these donations directly to the library of your choice. Please note, that if space is not available at that library branch to accept the donation, the branch manager reserves the right to deny the donation until space allows.

If you would like to give a non-monetary donation, please complete the contact form below for more details and a Friend’s member will contact you to discuss your donation:

Join a Committee!

Fundraiser Committee

Fundraiser Committee – Charon Gadsden, chair

Responsibilities:

Ensure there’s a specific fundraising target (How much money needs to be raised? Usually, the amount is the difference between expected revenues and expenses identified during strategic planning or annual budget review.)
Identify how much money might be raised from different types of resources.
Develop a Fundraising calendar (monthly, quarterly, or annually) and propose to Board for approval.
The major responsibility of the fundraising committee is to raise the amount needed to meet or exceed the proposed budget and to work cooperatively with the board and other committee chairs and members as well as the treasurer in accounting for receipts and disbursements for the activity. The committee may also plan specific fundraising events and activities.
Report monthly to Committee Coordinator and/or President who will present information at monthly board meetings.

EMAIL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Membership Committee

Membership Committee – Martha Neff-Smith, chair

Responsibilities:

Maintain database and/or list of members, current and past up to 2 years.
Recruit and maintain members.
Monitor Friends Member email account for new members who register online.
Send welcome letter/packet with Friends Member Card (printed & laminate or professionally ordered).
Send information to Communications/Marketing Committee to be added to the email list.
Send the list of ways they want to help to the volunteer committee.
Monitor and send renewal letters when needed.
Report monthly to Committee Coordinator and/or President who will present information at monthly board meetings.

EMAIL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Communications/Marketing Committee

Communications/Marketing Committee – Kristen Lanier (Library Liaison) Shannon Jones, chair

Responsibilities:

Develop FOL communication plan.
Help maintain social media accounts (Facebook)
Help build content for e-blast to members (assist with Friend’s blog)
Help maintain various email lists and communications (members, volunteers, book sale notifications, sponsors/donor updates, etc…)
Help send communications and notices to members (such as annual event invitations, mailed quarterly newsletter, special event notifications, etc…)
Compose and send annual report/summary to members
Compose and send notices or thank you notes to supporters, sponsors, donors
Work with other committees such as
1. Fundraiser Committee to compose promotional materials for fundraisers and special events
2. Programs/Events Committee to supply table displays for events or handouts for upcoming fundraisers

Promotions and marketing strategy for book sale events and merchandising tools for library bookshelves.
Report monthly to Committee Coordinator and/or President who will present information at monthly board meetings

EMAIL LIBRARY LIASION

EMAIL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Volunteer Committee

Volunteer Committee – Kim Ward, chair

Responsibilities:

Work with Membership Committee to maintain the list of members who showed interest in volunteering.
Coordinate with Programs/Events, Fundraiser Committee, and Book Sales Committee for dates, times, and needed number of volunteers.
Coordinate with Communications/Marketing Committee to send email blast when needed (assist with maintaining list(s) of contacts).
Send thank you notes after volunteering.
Record # of hours volunteered so a member can be recognized and thanked at the annual meeting.
Work with library branch managers to help fill volunteer needs that may occur at the library programs or special events.
Report monthly to Committee Coordinator and/or President who will present information at monthly board meetings.

EMAIL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Book Sales Committee

Book Sales Committee – Lisa Fellers, chair

Responsibilities:

Accept and monitor book donations and distribute to different branches
Maintain consistent pricing throughout all library bookshelves
Work with Communication/Marketing Committee to merchandise bookshelves
Coordinate community books sale events when needed
Coordinate volunteer/members to maintain shelves at all branches.
Report monthly to Committee Coordinator and/or President who will present information at monthly board meetings

EMAIL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Programs/Events/Community Outreach Committee

Programs/Events/Community Outreach – Sue Kelley, chair

Responsibilities:

Compose a list of possible events to attend on behalf of FOBCLS (such as craft fairs, festival, public events, parades, etc..).
Work with Volunteer Committee when needed to enlist volunteers to man FOBCLS table/booth at events.
Work with Communications/Marketing Committee to include information on email blasts and other promotional/marketing communications.
Coordinate with Communications/Marketing Committee for set-up and promotional needs (i.e. tablecloth, flyer for upcoming events, give away items, etc..).
Report all new members gained at events to Membership Committee.
Report monthly to Committee Coordinator and/or President who will present information at monthly board meetings.

EMAIL COMMITTEE CHAIR

Online Sales Coordinator

Online Sales – Chair TBD

Responsibilities:

Assist with the sale of misc. donations and valuable book donations through online sales such as E-Bay, Craigslist, Facebook, etc.
Report monthly to Committee Coordinator and/or President who will present information at monthly board meetings.

EMAIL FRIENDS PRESIDENT TO HELP ON THIS COMMITTEE

What’s New at the Friends