MILLINOCKET, Maine– The Friends of Millinocket Memorial Library non-profit has decided to continue its fundraising and other activities under the umbrella of the Millinocket Memorial Library (MML). After ongoing discussions this spring, members of FMML finalized their decision on July 15, 2024 to cease operations as a separate non-profit organization and channel their activities through the Library going forward. 

The Friends of MML was established as a volunteer group in the 1990s to support and sponsor activities like the Library’s Summer Reading Program. The Friends took on a much larger role in 2015 when the Library lost most of its municipal funding, rallying hundreds of community members to advocate for MML’s future. From 2015 until about 2017, the Friends operated the Library, keeping the doors open and paving the way for the Library to bounce back. 

“Over the past decade, the Friends have demonstrated the power and dedication of volunteers. Without the vision, leadership, and hard work of our Friends, the Library would not be here today,” said Library Director, Diana Furukawa. 

In recent years, the Friends have organized many fundraising efforts on behalf of the Library, including book sales, bake sales, raffles, and their annual dinner auction, contributing an average of about $20,000 per year to the Library’s operating budget. 

“Ultimately, we came to a joint decision to work together within one organization, the Library, to increase efficiency and decrease confusion,” said Furukawa. “The Friends aren’t going anywhere. They will be able to participate in the Library’s Fundraising Committee and continue to volunteer and advocate for the Library in many ways.”

In addition to its annual fundraising appeal in the fall, the Library plans to host a special dinner auction event in 2025. “The event will be a chance to acknowledge the incredible work of the Friends over the past 10 years and to invite the community to contribute to the Library’s future,” said Furukawa. 

“It’s a sign of our success that we’re now able to hand over the reins to the Library. It means we’ve done what we set out to do,” said Friends of MML President, Ben Barr. “I want to thank the many people who worked tirelessly in the background now and in the past to make our work possible. It’s been an honor to be a part of this effort,” said Barr. 

Millinocket Memorial Library is a non-profit organization and public library. Its mission is to enrich lives, inspire imaginations, and empower community. To learn more about the Library or how to get involved visit: www.MillinocketLib.org/support. 

Members of the Friends of MML at their final meeting as a non-profit board on July 15, 2024. Front row, left to right: Yolanda Bulley, Barbara Riddle-Dvorak, Kitty St. John, Albert Fowler, Marian Fowler, Louis Pelletier. Back row, left to right: Bernadette Friel, Shorty Cummings, Anne Jackson, Margie King, Terri MacDonald. Image courtesy of Millinocket Memorial Library.