Friends of the Library:
Friends of NPL (Newport Public Library) is a non-profit support group that is separate from the library. Friends promote the use of the library and provide funds for its programs and activities as well as purchase equipment and books to enhance the use of the facilities. Funds come from memberships, donations, and fund raising events. Joining the Friends of NPL means that you are a part of the financial support that supplements the needs of the library not covered by the library’s annual budget. Friends of NPL sponsors and staffs the used book sales in February, May, August, and November, support other library programs with refreshments and donations, and sponsor programs of interest to the community. If you have a special interest you would like to see promoted or if you are willing to help organize an event or program, please let us know. We are always in need of people who can lend a hand.
You can renew your Friends Membership or join the Friends of NPL using our handy brochure.
Santa CLaus LAne Gift Shop 2021
During December, ninety-six children shopped at Friends of Newport Public Library’s Santa Claus Lane Gift Shop. They selected 1,171 gifts for family members. Volunteers helped them wrap the gifts, and they excitedly left the shop with peek-proof presents just waiting to be given to their loved ones.
Thirty-some volunteers and a large number of donors made this all possible. For some of those volunteers it was their 6th year of helping with this project. They say it is a feel-good experience that helps them get into the Christmas spirit, and they are already looking forward to helping with the 2022 event.
Now that Christmas is over for the year, the Friends of NPL are accepting donations of wrappings and gifts for December 2022. Wrappings needed are wrapping and tissue paper, bows, sticky gift tags, unused Christmas cards with envelopes, tape, and gift bags. New or gently used gift items are needed for people of all ages, as children buy for parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, teachers, and even pets. Wrappings and gifts may be dropped off at the library any time between now and Thanksgiving. In addition, persons interested in volunteering for this project should contact the library to get on the volunteer list.
The mission of the Friends of NPL is to support the library in whatever ways they can find. They are a small but mighty group of people who host the quarterly used book sales and Santa Claus Lane. The funds they raise have helped the library install the power assist for the front doors, the new LED lighting for the library, prizes for the summer reading programs, and other projects throughout the years. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Friends of NPL, please contact the library or join at the book sale preview night on Feb. 2 between 6 and 8 PM. Membership is $10 per year for individuals, and $15 per year for families. Membership qualifies people for admission to preview nights at quarterly book sales and discount prices for bags on book sale “Bag Day” Saturdays.