The Friends of the Bluffton Public Library are holding a membership drive during the month of February. With a current roster of 13 active members, the Friends want to increase support for the Bluffton Public Library.

Local residents and library patrons can join the Friends by making an annual donation of $5 or more. Friends can also assist with special events, fundraising and everyday library activities.

Local businesses are encouraged to support the Friends. For this membership drive, First National Bank has sponsored the printing of publicity materials, including brochures and bookmarks.

With projected reductions in state funding of up to 30 percent in 2010, the Friends of the Library plan to increase fundraising as well as find new ways to assist the library staff. They will be building on their 2009 successes. According to Friends president Janis Potter, the Friends gave $1,000 to the Bucks for Books campaign, which has a target of $5,000. They also supported the Teen Advisory Board with a gift of $850 and gave $500 to the Summer Reading Program.

In total, the Friends raised $2,600 in 2009. The Friends are perhaps best known for hosting book sales, events stocked with books that have been donated to the Friends and the library. Two sales were held in 2009. Books are also continuously on offer in the library's "Apple Shed" on a voluntary donation basis. The Friends received other donations for baked goods, lanyards and flash drives.

New fundraising efforts included the first annual Community Garage Sale, which was held in August. The organization provided local newspaper and poster advertising and distributed maps listing the 43 participants who paid a $10 fee. The next Community Garage Sale will be held Aug. 5-7.

A formal spring tea was introduced to the Friends 2009 calendar. Last year's event hosted 40 guests for an elegant meal served on fine china. On April 29, 2010, the Friends will host a "Tea with Jane Austen" and Christie Weininger Raber, director of the Wood County Historical Museum, will appear as Austen, the author of Pride and Prejudice.

The Friends also got their hands dirty this past summer, when they provided weekly help with watering flowers and shrubs, and held a landscaping cleanup day of weeding, pruning and picking up debris.

In all of these capacities, members develop a special relationship with the library. As volunteers and by attending monthly meetings, Friends of the Library talk regularly with the staff and learn more about the library's resources and needs. Members also help communicate the needs and interests of the community to the staff.

During the current membership drive, the Friends are asking new and established members to make a donation of $5 or more. These donations can be submitted at the library: 145 S. Main St., Bluffton OH 45817. Checks should be made payable to "Friends of the Bluffton Public Library." Inquiries can be sent to [email protected].

The next Friends meeting will be held at 4:30 on Tuesday, Feb. 16, on the lower level of the library.