By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
The Friends of the Cabot Public Library are working to support and improve the Cabot library with volunteers.
The nonprofit group formed when the new library opened last summer.
“We helped with the open house preview and the grand opening by meeting and greeting patrons and showing the library,” Friends of the Cabot Public Library president Helen Weir said.
The Friends of the Cabot Public Library has four fundraising goals.
One is to buy a 3D printer for the library. The Lonoke County Library System has a 3D printer that is shared monthly between Cabot, England, Lonoke and Carlisle branches.
“That is a lot of wear and tear moving it around,” Weir said.
A 3D printer that stayed in the Cabot library would cost $2,000. It would be used for group and individual training programs for all ages to increase awareness and opportunities with the technology.
“We would like to purchase another Krayon Kiosk for the children’s library,” said JoAnn Cooper, a Friends of the Library member.
A Krayon Kiosk is a computer station that has iPads preloaded with educational apps children can use with their parents in the room. The cost of an additional kiosk is $4,900.
“It is full when school is out,” Cooper said.
The group also wants to buy a microfilm digital scanner. It would allow the library to put local newspapers on microfilm so library patrons could search articles using keywords on the computer.
The Friends of the Cabot Public Library is also trying to get public support to hold a special election to increase the Lonoke County Library Millage from one-mills to two-mills. The one-mill rate was approved by voters in 1972 and has not increased in 44 years.
“This library could not have been built if the city of Cabot did not support it with the bond issue,” Cooper said.
The Friends of the Cabot Public Library is looking for new members. Its meetings are held at 9 a.m. on the second Tuesday of the month at the Cabot library.
Annual membership dues are $10 for individuals, $20 for a family membership, $35 for a benefactor, $250 for a corporate membership and $250 for an individual lifetime membership.
For more information, call Leisa Horness at the library’s genealogical department at 855-572-6657.
Friends of the Cabot Public Library also operates the Friendly Bookstore inside the library. The bookstore sells new and used hardback and paperback books and magazines that are donated. Hardbacks cost $1, paperbacks are 25 cents and magazines are 10 cents.
The books range from inspirational, health, history to children and young adult.
“Children’s books go so quickly,” Cooper said.
Ellie Gundel, a Friends of the Library volunteer, said a couple hundred books are donated to the Friendly Bookstore every week.
Friends of the Cabot Public Library will be at selling used books at a booth during the Cabot Strawberry Festival on April 23.
