The Friends of the Library are supporters of the Rice Lake Public Library. You can help support the library by doing any of the following:
Join the Friends | Volunteer | Donate Books | Shop at Basement Bookstore | Advocate
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Santa shares his love
of reading at the |
We can never have too many Friends! The more Friends we have, the more obvious it is that our community supports its public library. Membership dues help us support library programs, so the more Friends we have, the more we can support library programs. Click here to join the Friends.
How much should you pay for your membership dues? You can pay as little as $1 or as much as you like! We value all of our Friends.
If you're interested in actually calculating the value of your public library usage, the Maine State Library has developed a handy "Library Use Value Calculator" in which you enter the number of times your household uses specific library services, and the calculator estimates the retail value of such services.
There are plenty of volunteer opportunities at the library. Contact the library if you're interested in doing any of the following:
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The Basement Bookstore is full of bargains! |
If they're in good condition, they may go into circulation, but they're more likely to be sold in our Basement Bookstore to raise money for Friends-sponsored programs and projects at the library. Click here for more about Basement Bookstore.
Shop at Our Basement Bookstore
Find your new favorite book! Build your child's library! You can't beat our prices! Support the library's programs by shopping here--and by donating your used books. Click here for more about Basement Bookstore.
The proceeds from this store go to the Friends of the Library to fund library programs and projects, such as the following:
| Books for Babies at
Lakeview Medical Center Book Discussion Groups National Library Week Activities Special Programming/Classes for Adults Summer Reading Programs Holiday Children's Parties |
Weekly Story Hour Author Visits Community Collectibles on Display Magazine & Book Donations Equipment & Furniture Purchases |
Support from the community and government is crucial for the maintenance and growth of public libraries. Friends of the Library and other supporters can make a difference by reminding their local community and local and state government officials of the public library's role in the lives of individuals and in the community as a whole.
Barron County supports the Rice Lake Public Library by complying with Wisconsin Act 150 and reimbursing the library based on the number of items that "rural residents" borrow from the library each year. Act 150 was passed by the state legislature in the late 1990s. This law mandates that counties reimburse municipal libraries at least 70% of the cost of serving people who live in townships or villages without a library of their own.
Last year the state legislature extended library reimbursement to adjacent counties by passing Act 420. Under the provisions of Act 420, the Rice Lake Public Library will begin receiving reimbursement from Washburn County in 2008.
If you value the service provided by the Rice Lake Public Library, please take some time to thank your state legislators for their support of Act 150 and Act 420. If you live in a township or village that doesn't maintain its own library, you may also want to thank your county board of supervisors for complying with this legislation. County reimbursement is an important component of the library's budget, and it ensures that everyone who uses the library pays a fair share of the cost.
If you need help articulating why you support your library, below are a few resources and ideas:
