FRIENDS of Tamborine Mountain Library was established in 2001 to foster the development of the library and almost 25 years later the organisation is at a crossroads.
The group is part of an Australia-wide organisation and they hold regular book sales to raise funds, pay for magazine subscriptions for the library, provide special collections such as children’s book classics and furniture for the library.
The Friends have a space next to the Library called The Book Cabinet, which is open when the Library is open and sells second hand books.
Friends’ executive members President Arne Lange, Secretary Polly Cameron and Treasurer Cathy Hodges were all elected in 2018 and the executive has not changed since.
With many members in their 70s and 80s, the group is calling on the community to breathe new life into the organisation, or provide an indication as to whether they should keep going.
“Sometimes we wonder if we are relevant in today’s digital world but people still like to have a book in their hand,” said Friends of Tamborine Mountain Secretary, Polly Cameron.
Over the years the organisation has supported many events and changes to the Tamborine Mountain Library, including the Five Senses Festival, a multi-arts community festival which was last held on the mountain in 2021.
While the three women, all ex-Librarians or Teacher-Librarians, are still passionate about books, literacy, and the Friends group, they are questioning the future of the organisation.
The Friends of Tamborine Mountain Library’s Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday September 5 at 10.30am at Tamborine Mountain Library and Arne, Polly and Cathy would welcome any feedback from the community before then.
Membership is $10 per person per year.
For more information or to join Friends of Tamborine Mountain Library, email friendstmlibrary@gmail.com or leave a note in the library for Cathy, Arne or Polly.
