Friends of the Library

Mark your calendars

2024 Spring Warehouse Book Sale
Saturday, May 4
9 AM – 2 PM
Location 20 Thompson Road, Branford, CT
Sale will offer Adult fiction (hardcovers and trade), Sci-Fi, paperbacks, Children’s books and Cookbooks

2024 Fall Tent Sale on the Green
September 19th – 22nd

 Can’t wait until the next Book Sale?

 Shop now on our Book Sale Cart
(on the main floor of the library)
— or —
Visit our Virtual Book Sale cart
(see instructions below).

 Great Books! Great Prices!
Questions:  friends@blackstonelibrary.org

Are you a Friends Member?

 If not, joining is easy.  Scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.

Help us support the library and bring great programs, activities, and materials to the library.

Friends Book Sale Cart at the Library is OPEN!

Come shop from our Friends Book Sale Cart on the main floor of the Library.  You will find an assortment of fiction books for adults – including many 2022 and 2023 books.  There is also a shelf full of great children’s books.  In addition to these choices, there will also be a shelf of books that will change periodically – currently for sale are biographies.  Coming soon will be holiday items (books, CDs, DVDs) followed by books to start the year right in January.  Book prices range from $1 – $4.  New books are added weekly.  Come browse and see what you can find.

Virtual Book Cart

The Virtual Book Cart is back! It is an easy way to obtain used books, mostly books within the last several years – in both hardcover and trade paperback format, at great prices ($3 for hardcover and $2 for trade paperback, 2024 books will have a $1 additional cost). Shop now before the book sale!

Browsing and purchasing is as easy as 1-2-3!

  1. Click Friends Virtual Book Cart to browse the books we currently have for sale. You can search by author or title. We will be adding books frequently, so check our inventory often.
  2. See something you would like to buy? Send us an email at JBMLFriendsBookCart@gmail.com. We will reply to let you know if the books are available, the total cost, and when the books will be available for pick up. Payment must be exact change or by check made payable to Friends of the Blackstone Library (FJBML).
  3. Pick up the books at the circulation desk at the Blackstone Library (back entrance). Just stop at the Circulation Desk and inform them you have a Virtual Book Cart pickup. You can pick-up anytime the library is open.

The quantities of a specific title are limited, so books will be made available to the first person making the request. Books will need to be picked up within a week. After a week, they will be returned to inventory. Questions, or if you want to be included in our email mailing list, please send us an email at JBMLFriendsBookCart@gmail.com.

About the Friends of the James Blackstone Memorial Library

The Friends of the James Blackstone Memorial Library was founded in 1988 and is a 501c3 charity supporting the Blackstone library through a variety of fundraising activities including an annual book sale, online book sales, and other activities. Currently we have over 300 members and approximately 50 year-round volunteers. All money raised through various fund-raisers minus operating expenses is donated to the library. The library director attends all Friends Board Meetings and prioritizes funding requests. Friends sponsor lectures and programs and provide funds for special programming, particularly for the Youth Services Department, as well as funds for the purchase of equipment for the library, museum passes, movies, concerts, furniture, and plantings for the library grounds. Friends donated over $70,000 to the library in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.

Mission

Our mission is to raise funds primarily through the sale of donated books to enable the James Blackstone Memorial Library to provide enrichment programs and other services for the local community.

Vision

We aim to maintain our financial support to the library, to promote literacy in the community and the freedom to read, and to make books available for all.

Check out the latest Marble Columns (Friends Newsletter)

Marble Columns

Fall 2022Late Fall 2022 | Winter 2023Spring 2023  |  Summer 2023  |  Fall 2023  |  Winter 2024

If you have a question for the Friends, please email us at friends@blackstonelibrary.org. Like us on Facebook!

Officers (2023-2024)
  • President, Barbara Barrett
  • Secretary, Linda Milici
  • Treasurer, Jonathan Grande
Directors
Leslie Becker Jon Bloom
Sandra Brockett Bob Deschamps 
Joe Genua  Jane Kenealy
Andy McKirdy Jill Thomas

 

Bylaws  (Approved May 16, 2023)

How you can support Friends:

Buy an Annual Membership:  Memberships start as low as $10 for seniors and students, individuals are $15, etc. A membership helps us to support the library.

As a member you receive quarterly Marble Columns mailing as well as exclusive early access to the Fall Book Sale. Scroll down to join or donate!

Become a Volunteer

In addition to volunteering at our annual book sale, we have many volunteer opportunities all year round. If you are interested in helping us, please email to friends@blackstonelibrary.org.

Supporting Friends

Membership Levels

Seniors (60+) and students: $10
Individual: $15
Family: $20
Sustaining: $25
Benefactor: $50
Best Friend: $100

Join now by selecting your desired Membership Level and then pay via PayPal or a credit card on the Pay Now button.

Membership Levels

If you would like to make a donation to the Friends, please click on the link below: