Vol. 3 Issue 2 Spring 2026 | | "Every person can make a difference, and every person should try." — John F. Kennedy | | 100 percent volunteer-powered: FoKL | | |
The Friends of Kingston Library does not exist to look good on paper. It exists because libraries do not run on good intentions alone.
Behind every program, every event, every trained staff member, and every teen who showed up to TAG is a network of people who chose to show up first. That network is us.
Even operating out of the Cioni Building this year, the library kept moving. Lego Club ran. Banned Books events filled seats. Staff received training and recognition. Community partnerships grew. None of that happens without organized, sustained support from people who treat the library as a priority, not an afterthought.
The library board sets direction. Library staff does the daily work. The city of Kingston holds the building. The Friends hold the connective tissue together. Membership drives, fundraising relationships, volunteer hours, and word of mouth are what turn a vision into a functioning community space.
2026 brings the return to Franklin Street. That return needs people behind it.
Right now, the Friends are looking for volunteers to help plan the Return to Franklin Street Party, recruiters who know how to turn a conversation into real commitment, and fundraising volunteers who understand that sustained support is built on relationships, not transactions.
Two to three hours a month is the average contribution. That window of time directly funds programs, events, and advocacy the library cannot do on its own.
This is 100 percent volunteer-powered. Every hour counts.
If you have been waiting for the right moment to step in, this is it. Become a Friend. Make a donation.
More updates are coming soon.
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Collaborative Opportunity:
The volunteers of the Friends of Kingston Library are always looking for event or messaging collaborations. Does your organization or 501c3 looking for collaborative opportunities or connections that benefit the city of Kingston? If so, we'd love the opportunity to collaborate! Please email us DIRECTLY to coordinate collaborations with our FoKL Executive Committee.
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Share the Friends!
Are you a local Friend or neighbor? A small shop or business within the city of Kingston? Please hang our signs. A great way to support our efforts is to PROMOTE the Friends of Kingston Library. Please download one of our two flyers (or both!) and share in your location.
We love to see our supporters promote the Friends!
CLICK HERE to download yours today! Thanks to Kathryn!
Please share a pic of your flyer so we may promote your business/organization.
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Save the Date for the Banned Books Symposium
Banned Books Symposium on May 16, 8:30 AM to 1:00 PM at Dutchess BOCES in Poughkeepsie. $30 with lunch. Features sessions on challenged books across public, academic, and school settings, plus a keynote by Kasey Meehan of PEN America.
For descriptions of the session and to register visit the MHLS Calendar.
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Sustainability Certification Library Program (SCLP) Kick-off/Restart | April 30 | 10 – 11:30 AM | Online
Are you looking to re-ignite your sustainability efforts or get an introduction to the Sustainable Libraries Initiative’s Sustainable Library Certification Program (SLCP)?
Join us for a review of what it takes to become certified. Learn about support and resources available. Connect with current enrollees and those that have successfully completed certification.
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Thanks to strong advocacy, the House exceeded last year’s support for LSTA funding, marking a powerful start to the federal budget process for libraries. Now, attention turns to the Senate, where “Dear Appropriator” letters led by Jack Reed are circulating.
Thanks to strong advocacy, the House exceeded last year’s support for LSTA funding, marking a powerful start to the federal budget process for libraries. Now, attention turns to the Senate,
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where “Dear Appropriator” letters led by Jack Reed are circulating.
This scall for continued funding of LSTA and the Innovative Approaches to Literacy program, both of which support essential services like workforce development, internet access, and early literacy programs. Without them, communities nationwide risk losing critical resources.
Now is the moment to act. Message your senators to contact your Senators and urge them to sign by April 17. This step is crucial in showing strong public support and protecting funding before final budget decisions are made.
You can also check whether your Senators supported these efforts last year on the Fund Libraries page.
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Becoming a Friend is not passive support. It is showing up where it counts, especially as we prepare to return to our home on Franklin Street.
The Friends of Kingston Library is actively seeking volunteers who want to lead, shape, and advocate for the future of our library. Right now, there are a few very real needs.
The Events Committee is looking for volunteers to support the Return to Franklin Street Party. If you enjoy planning, coordinating, or just making sure an event actually runs smoothly instead of turning into chaos, this is your lane.
We also need strong recruiters to help grow our Friends group. If you are someone who naturally talks to people, builds connections, or knows how to turn a casual conversation into real involvement, you can make a direct impact here.
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For the Fundraising Committee, we are specifically looking for volunteers who understand relationship building. Not just asking for support, but creating genuine, lasting connections that sustain the library long term. If you have ever thought fundraising was just asking for money, plot twist, it is really about trust.
Most Friends contribute just two to three hours a month. That small window of time supports programs, events, outreach, and advocacy that the library cannot do on its own.
This is a 100 percent volunteer-powered organization. Every hour donated directly strengthens the Kingston Library and the community it serves.
If you have ever thought, “Someone should step up,” this is that moment. Become a Friend. Show up. Help move the mission forward.
| PLEASE follow and LIKE our Facebook posts. | | |
April
Watch our Facebook Page for upcoming EVENTS & INFO!
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May
Check out the TONS of activities on the Kingston Library Events Page by Clicking here!
| | | | | Share a short story about your experience with Kingston Library, up to 300 words, for a chance to be featured online. Send submissions to fokl@friendsofkingstonlibrary.org with the subject “My Story about Kingston Library.” | |
Mid-Hudson Libraries 66 Libraries, 1 Great Community
One account connects you to your library's catalog, digital content, events, and account management. Search, borrow, hold, track your reading, and stay notified. All in one place.
CLICK HERE to access your account.
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Spring is a good time to do something that actually matters to your community.
Renew your Friends of Kingston Library membership.
Or join for the first time.
Either way, you are choosing to be part of something that keeps the library strong, accessible, and worth showing up to.
Membership is open at every level.
Every level counts.
Your support funds programs, builds community awareness, and puts more resources in front of the people who need them. It also powers the book sales, fundraising efforts, events, and behind-the-scenes work that keep the Friends running.
This is not passive support. Members show up. They work the sales, run the events, handle the logistics, and advocate for public libraries when it matters most.
Two to three hours a month can change what the library is able to offer this season and beyond.
The Kingston Library is more than a building full of books. It is a community resource, and it stays that way because people like you choose to invest in it.
Renew. Join. Volunteer. Donate.
Complete the membership form and become part of the FoKL community this spring.
| | Perhaps your organization wants to underwrite or collaborate? Respond to this email! | | |
Heather Ohlson- President
Erica Fox-Boyd- Vice President
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Peter LaVangia- Treasurer
Heather Atterbury- Secretary
| | | The Friends of the Kingston Library is an organization dedicated to improving library services in Kingston. Members of the Friends also promote public use of the Kingston Library and appreciation of its value as a cultural and educational asset to the community. | | |
THANK YOU to the volunteers who compiled the information in this newsletter: Susan R., Erica F., Heather A., Denise H., Kathryn B.
and Heather O.
| | THANKS FOR FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO A NEIGHBOR! | |
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FoKL: Friends of Kingston Library
Temporary Address: 61 Crown St Kingston, NY 12401
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