Friends of the Library, Launceston Inc. is a community group supporting and promoting public library services at Launceston Library. Since 1992 Friends have organised events, lobbied for public libraries, helped as volunteers, and raised funds for library services.
The Friends group has been recognised with Tasmanian government awards and, in conjunction with Launceston Library in 2007, the national Peter McInnes Award for services for children and young people. The Tasmanian Community Fund awarded the Friends a grant of $16,000 in 2005 to initiate the Launceston Family Album project which resulted in the creation of a popular website, a year-long newspaper series and the publication of two books and a CD.
Activities
-
Library Book Fair, Friends’ main annual fundraiser, features a great range of fiction, non-fiction, children's books and audio-visual materials: thousands of items donated by members of the community and sold at bargain prices. The Book Fair is usually held in March on a Saturday morning. Details are available on the
Friends’ Facebook page
-
Launceston Family Album, a 2006-2011 community project identifying season ticket holders to the Tasmanian International Exhibition of 1891-92, resulted in the publication of an archival volume, a 320-page hard cover book The Tasmanian Exhibition 1891-92, a CD and a
website
-
Local history publications
-
The Journals of Charlotte Cleveland by Gill Morris. $20
-
A fortune may be made... Launceston's 19th Century Breweries by Jai Paterson. $20
-
The Outcome of Enterprise:
Launceston's Waverley Woolen Mills. By Julian Burgess. $25
-
and, with Launceston library,
On the Tide Nos. 1,2 & 3
All books available from Launceston Library and Tasmanian booksellers.
-
Support for children's services at Launceston Library and Ravenswood Library, buying books, toys and instruments for Rock & Rhyme, and funding workshops, visiting speakers and performers.
-
Organising and participating in Library-related events.
-
Volunteering
- research in local history
- home library service deliveries
- helping with displays, exhibitions and events
Membership of the Friends
Membership is open to any person in the community who wishes to support library services at the Launceston Library. The cost is $10 annually, or $15 for family membership (more than one at the same address). Make cheques payable to: Friends of the Library, Launceston.
If you’d like to support library services in Launceston, consider becoming a Friend to:
-
Raise funds at the Book Fair
- Attend Friends social functions and Library-based events
- Collaborate in publishing local history books
- Work with the community to enhance our library services
- Participate in volunteer activities such as digitising historic records and photographs
- Lobby on behalf of public libraries.
As a Friend of the Library, Launceston you can be involved in these activities, or you can show support by becoming a subscribing member.
Ask us for a membership brochure.
Meeting of the Friends
Meetings open to all members are held on the
last Thursday of every month at 3.30pm in the Phil Leonard Room on the Second Floor of the Launceston Library.
Friends of the Library, Launceston
PO Box 607
Launceston, TAS 7250
Ph: 6327 4872 or 6327 2540
Email:
launceston.friends@gmail.com