Marcellus Free Library

Friends of Marcellus Free Library

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Gently used book and media donations can be dropped off at the library circulation desk during business hours. 

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Friends of MFL

Who are the Friends?

  • Friends of the Library are individuals who enjoy, support and advocate for the library and who share an interest in helping the library better serve the community.

What do they do?

  • The Friends meet monthly to learn about the library, participate in hands-on tasks helpful to the library, and organize fundraising events which help support the library.

When are the meetings?

Who can join?

  • Anyone who wishes to support the Marcellus Free Library is invited to become a Friend. It is not necessary to attend programs/meetings to be a valued Friend and participation at any level is welcome.

How can I join?

  • The Friends brochure/application forms are available at the library’s circulation desk. The application form can also be printed here.

How do the Friends raise money?

  • Our primary fundraisers are the Book Nook and book sales (see book donation guidelines), basket raffle, membership dues and donations. The Friends of Marcellus Free Library, Inc. are a separate Not-for-Profit Charitable 501(c)3 organization that raises funds to assist the library in providing additional programs and services that are not included in the operating budget. Donations to the Friends are tax-deductible.
  • Paulette Quinn Book Nook - The Friends maintain a used book shop which offers a wide array of gently used books, CDs, DVDs, and Puzzles. It is located in the library next to the copy machine and open during normal library hours. Recycled magazines are available for free in the Book Nook and donations of current magazines are appreciated.
  • Book Sales – Large book sales are typically held twice a year in the Community Room, in the fall and in conjunction with Olde Home Days. Additionally, a special display of individually priced, gift-giving condition books is put out in the lobby for several weeks prior to the December holidays.
  • Basket Raffle – The Friends assemble themed-baskets at the April meeting which are then displayed in the library for several weeks prior to Marcellus’ Olde Home Days celebration the first weekend in June. Basket items are donated by individual Friends and area businesses. Any business who wishes to donate an item(s) or service may contact the Friends via the library’s circulation desk. Other Selected offerings from the Book Nook are available in the lobby throughout the year.

How can I get more information on the Friends?

  • Attend a meeting – guests are always welcome. Feel free to contact the Friends directly at  marcelluslibraryfriends@gmail.com  or leave your name and phone number at the library’s circulation desk or call the library. A Friend will contact you to provide more information and answer any questions that you may have.

Benefits of Being a Friend of MFL

Benefits of being a Friend

  • Pride in knowing that you are part of a dedicated group that values the library and is committed to supporting its efforts to excel in providing service to the community. 
  • Friends receive a coupon for a free, regularly-priced book from the Book Nook.
  • Friends get free entry to the Early-Bird hours at the spring and fall book sales for first choice of merchandise. Others pay $5.
  • Friends receive a discount on beverages from the library’s self-serve cafe.
  • Friends receive emails about meetings and events, along with news and info about the library.
  • Friends receive alerts about advocacy needs of the library. MFL is part of the Onondaga County Public Libraries system.

Benefits to MFL of having Friends

  • Friends foster an awareness in the community of library services and programs.
  • Friends maintain the ongoing Book Nook and hold book/media sales twice a year in addition to other fundraising activities.
  • Friends provide support and advocacy for the library.
  • Friends respond to requests from the library director for monies to fund items which will enhance the programs and services the library provides to the community.

Apply to Join!

2023-2024 Calendar of Events

Board of Directors

Board of Directors - 2023-2024

  • Jackie Smith, President
  • Domenick Patti, Vice-President
  • Jim Shake, Treasurer
  • Debbie Grousset, Deputy Treasurer
  • Diana Osborne Tatu, Recording Secretary
  • Michele Merwarth, Corresponding Secretary
  • Audrey Kearney, Director
  • Karen Pollard, Director

Book and Media Donation Guidelines

Donation times: The Library circulation desk accepts donations during regular hours. 

The library accepts gently used books (hard cover, paperbacks, movies, DVDs, and jigsaw puzzles.

Items must be clean, in good condition and meet specific criteria. The library reserves the right to
check all donations prior to acceptance. Donated items cannot be returned.

If accepted, donations may be added to the library’s collection if determined to be useful for current
needs, used by the Friends to stock the Book Nook, boxed for the Friends’ book sales, or offered to
other agencies. Donations are tax deductible and receipts are available at the circulation desk upon
request.

Donations of recent magazines are welcome and are offered to patrons for free in the Book Nook.
Due to space limitations, please do not bring more than 6 magazines at a time.

Items not accepted for donation include:

 • Items in poor physical condition (e.g. broken spine, moldy, water damaged, mildewed, missing
   or yellowed pages, etc.) 
 • Encyclopedias and textbooks 
 • Reader’s Digest Condensed Books
 • Unauthorized copies of media 
 • VHS cassettes 
 • Audiobooks on cassette
 • Music cassettes & albums
 • Multi-years of back issues of any magazine cannot be accommodated.

 Items in demand include:

 • Children's books
 • Puzzles
 • Recent fiction and non-fiction paperbacks
   (within the last five years)
 • Books of local and regional interest 
 • Classical literature
 • Cookbooks
 • DVD's


 

Meeting Minutes

2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2022

2020-2021


2019-2020

2018-2019

Support