Send to friendThank you to everyone who donated a Christmas tree or wreath to the Friends of the Library's table top tree and wreath auction. We had a great selection of beautiful items to bid on, thanks to the time and talents of the public and staff.

Specifically:
The Holmes County Senior Center
The Holmes County Human Society
Wyatt Schlauch and Family, Angela Stringfellow, Cindy Mathie, Kathleen Hanlon, Susan Helal, Barbara Huston, Tami Bucklew, Marie White Brenda Hostettler, Arlene Radden, Susan Corl, Ron Corl, Beverly Chrapowicki, Ellen Crayton, Mil Agnor, Marilyn Gingerich, Sharon Hunter and Mindy Miller.

Please forgive us if we have omitted your name. Unfortunately, there were a couple we did not get names for.

Thank you to all bidders, also!  Both the generosity of the donors and buyers made this year's auction a success!  We made $813.00 for the library. The monies will be used in various departments in the main library, bookmobile and the four branches.

Thank you and Best Wishes for a Happy New Year!

The Friends of the Holmes County Library




Fairgoer, Becky Meyer, won the Adult Book Give-A-Way from the Friends of the Holmes County Library at the 2009 Holmes County Fair.  Congratulations, Becky!







The First Friends of the Library Ladies Golf Scramble held August 8th was a huge success!  Thanks to all the area businesses, Friends members, and library supporters who graciously and generously donated towards this successful endeavor.  The scramble raised $1,300 for the Friends of the Library.  Thank you, all!!






The mission of the Friends of the Library is to create and maintain an association of persons interested in libraries;

To focus public attention on the services and needs of the Holmes County District Library;

To advocate for the library and its mission and support the library’s position on legislation;

To raise funds to support the libraries services and programs;

And, with the concurrence of the Board of Trustees of the Holmes County District Public Library, to influence the gift of books, magazines, endowments and bequests.

Why Our Library Needs “Friends"

Our library always has had strong support as an educational tool and a place for learning. Many Holmes County residents, long-time vocal supporters, saw the need for more concerted actions to ensure our library continued as an outstanding county resource. Others joined in and the “Friends of the Holmes County District Library” was created in 2006.Today, “Friends” includes a growing number of county residents and businesses, who are dedicated to ensuring the future of our main library in Millersburg and its four branch locations in Berlin, Killbuck, Walnut Creek and Winesburg.

A freeze and later multiple cuts in state funding for libraries, including ours, now threatens that viablity. Recently, several county-wide ballot issues failed due to a tight local economy and insufficient funds to mount large “get -out-the-vote” movements. Cuts in staffing and library hours resulted. The library’s two bookmobiles, the busiest in the United States for a county population of our size, required help to keep them on the road. “Friends of the Library” is actively working to raise funds to help and has donated money for projects in each of the library’s branch locations to provide much-needed materials. We welcome any and all who believe, as do the “Friends,” the comment below from author Toni Morrison:

“Access to knowledge is the suburb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries stand virtually alone in accomplishing this mission.”