The purpose of Friends of the Laurel County Public Library is to share information about the library, to encourage the use of the library, and to serve the library as “helping hands”.

Enjoy these special "Friends" membership benefits . . .
   - Entrance to "Friends Preview Night" at upcoming used book sales.
   - Invitations to "Friends Only" special events.
   - Volunteer opportunities with books sales and our Books for
     Babies project.

But most of all help expand the programs and services that we can currently offer to the community.  If you are interested in joining please contact Peggy Mershon.

     Madge Chesnut, Vicki Lauderdale, Kathy Claiborne,
     Billie Ridings

     Anglee Smith, Jo Mullins, Susan Slusher,
     Cookie McCollum, Elaine Ellington

     Anita Mullins

Friends volunteers Pat Harris, Ruth Robinson, and Elaine Ellington are busy pricing the hundreds and hundreds of used books that have been donated for the upcoming Friends of the Library book sale.

Thursday, April 30th - Saturday, May 1st.

Wednesday, April 29th from 4 - 8pm.

In 2007, the Friends of the Laurel County Public Library began a program in which each baby born at Marymount Medical Center (now St. Joseph London) was sent home with a bag containing a baby board book and parental materials on the importance of reading to the baby from a young age.

The Friends group joined forces with two other community organizations that shared the same idea for the program—the Laurel County Board of Education and the Laurel County Health Department.

Why are books so important to babies? Studies consistently show that:
     -Children who are read to learn to read more easily than those who are not.
     -Reading to children helps develop their curiosity, imagination, vocabulary, and attention spans.
     -Reading to children demonstrates that reading is a valued activity in the home, and children love to be
      read to, strengthening the relationship between the child and the reader.

In 2007, the number of babies born at St. Joseph London was 774, and the number increased to 825 in 2008. For 2009, the group plans on distributing bags to 900 new babies.

Because of the costs associated with the books and the canvas bags, sponsorships were secured for 2009. Those local organizations who each graciously gave a $500 donation towards the Books for Babies project are Cumberland Valley National Bank, the Laurel County Adult Education and Literacy Council, and the London Rotary Club.

Members of the Friends Books for Babies committee meet regularly to stuff bags and distribute them to St. Joseph London. Because of their efforts, hundreds of babies will discover the joy of reading from that first book that leaves the hospital with them.

Books for Babies sponsors were presented with Books for Babies canvas bags featuring each organization’s logo.

Pictured from left to right are committee chairperson Vicki Lauderdale, Kathryn Hardman from the Laurel County Adult Education and Literacy Council, Mike Giles from the London Rotary Club, Annie Chesnut from Cumberland Valley National Bank, and Friends president Elaine Ellington.