The library will be closed on Monday, October 9 for Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day.
We would like to invite you to join the Friends of the Northborough Library. Membership is open to all; residents from neighboring towns are welcome to join.
Your membership includes:
Your contribution will continue to fund acquisitions and activities for our library and extend the cultural life of our community. Friends of the Northborough Library is a nonprofit charitable organization (501(c)(3)).
If you would like to join the Friends of the Northborough Library please download the membership form and mail it to the Library at:
Friends of the Northborough Free Library, Inc.
34 Main Street
Northborough, MA 01532
The Applefest Booksale will be held at the Northborough Free Library on Friday, Sept 8, 2023 from noon - 5PM and Saturday, Sept 9, from 9:30AM - 3 PM. Our Applefest Booksale will feature books, audiobooks, DVDs and CDs for kids, adults and teens. Books for sale will include fiction and non-fiction in both softcover and hardcover. Book prices will range from 50¢ - $1, with a few special priced books slightly higher. Proceeds from the sale will benefit Northborough Library programs, museum passes, and other items not covered by the standard budget. Please note that there is no Member Preview or Bag Sale.
The Friends of Northborough Library typically hold numerous events throughout the year. Here are just a few of our annual events:
Purchases for the Library vary from year to year as needs arise. The Friends have paid for computers, a digital camera, a refrigerator, and staff room furniture, among other items. There are also a number of museum passes that are covered by the Friends. The summer reading program, which typically enrolls about a thousand local children, receives our support, and there are special events, such as Black History Month programs, that we have also funded.
Contact us to learn more about the Friends of Northborough Library!
Northborough Free Library: (508) 393-5025
Email: friendsnorthboroughlibrary@gmail.com
Current Officers
President - MaryEllen Joyce
Treasurer - Stephanie Nardone
Clerk - Desiree Baron Powell
Membership Director - Lisa Gardner
The Friends of the Northborough Library, Inc. is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to providing both financial and volunteer assistance to the Northborough Free Library.
Founded in the 1970's, the Friends are an active part of the Northborough Library. The Friends sponsor programs and make purchases that cannot be covered by the town budget.
Over the past years, the Friends have sponsored an annual Basket Raffle and a number of used book sales as our primary fundraising activities. In 2003, we joined with the Northborough Historical Society to present a cemetery tour featuring actors playing the parts of long-ago residents of the town. We have also participated in the annual Applefest event in Northborough. Additionally, the Friends have hosted legislative breakfasts that bring together our local state legislators and people involved in library issues.
The ribbon cutting ceremony at the library grand
re-opening event on Sunday March 15, 2009.
BY-LAWS OF FRIENDS OF THE NORTHBOROUGH LIBRARY, INC.
ARTICLE I – NAME
The name of this organization shall be Friends of the Northborough Library, Inc., and shall herein be referred to as the Organization.
ARTICLE II – OBJECTIVES
The Friends of the Northborough Library, Inc. is a recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to supporting the programs and resources of the Northborough Free Library. This will be accomplished by assisting in funding library programs, acquiring museum passes and other resources not funded in the Town of Northborough library budget.
ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP AND DUES
Membership shall be open to any individual or group interested in the Organization’s objectives. Membership is without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender identification, sexual orientation, marital status, age (see exception), national origin, immigration status, legally recognized disability, or veteran status. Members who serve as Board members must be at least 14 years of age. Members who serve as Officers must be at least 18 years of age.
Membership dues amounts will be reviewed and set by the Board periodically. Dues will be paid yearly on the member's anniversary of joining. Membership dues are listed in APPENDIX 1 – MEMBERSHIP DUES. Membership dues and levels may be updated at any time by a majority vote of the Board.
ARTICLE IV – BOARD MEMBERS AND OFFICERS
Section 1 – All officers and Board members must be members of the Friends of the Northborough Library.
The Officers of this Organization shall include: President, Treasurer, Clerk, and Membership Director. The Board may also include Director-at-Large positions. All Board members shall be elected annually. Offices may be held in joint tenancy except for the President and the Treasurer positions. They may not be held by the same person.
The President shall preside at all meetings and carry on any other duties connected with the office. The President is responsible to distribute an agenda to the Active members at least two (2) days before any meeting.
The Treasurer shall deposit all dues and administer all funds as directed by the Board of the Organization. He/she shall keep current the registration for tax exemption purposes with the Internal Revenue Service and the Corporations Division of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The Treasurer will inform the Board of any expenditure over $5,000 and will obtain countersignature for such expenditure from a second authorized signatory.
The Treasurer shall inform the banks of a change of Officers.
The Clerk shall record the attendance at all meetings and take the minutes of the proceedings at all meetings. The Clerk shall also update, as needed and at least annually, the Corporations Online Filing System for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with the current slate of Officers and Directors within 30 days of the election of the Officers or within 30 days of a change in Directors. The Clerk must be a resident of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts unless the Organization has a duly appointed resident agent.
The Membership Director shall collect and acknowledge all dues and pass them on to the Treasurer in a timely manner. The Membership Director shall keep a list of the membership together with their addresses, shall conduct the correspondence of the Organization, and shall give a yearly report on the status of membership.
Section 2— Officers will be elected at an annual meeting of the membership. The slate of officers will be determined at the meeting prior to the Election meeting. Officers will be elected at the last scheduled meeting of the year by a majority vote of those members present.
Section 3 – Terms for all officers will be for a period of one year, starting on January 1. All newly elected officers shall take over their duties on January 1st of the following year.
Section 4— If a vacancy occurs, the Board may appoint persons to fill any or all vacancies for the remainder of the term. The Officer positions may not be left vacant.
Section 5 – Any director may be removed by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the remaining Board members, excluding the Director in question.
Section 6 – The Library Director shall be an ex officio, non-voting member of the Board.
Section 7 – From time to time it may be advantageous to add a Director-at-Large position during the year. The President may nominate a person to a Director-at-Large position. A majority vote of the Board is required to add the candidate as a Board member. This person will then serve for the remainder of the year and may run for a Director-at-Large position in the next election cycle.
Section 8 – Members of the Board must disclose any position on any other Northborough Town Board or Town Committee. Members of the Board must disclose any other potential conflicts of interest as they arise.
ARTICLE V – RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD
Section 1— A quorum shall consist of a majority of the members of the Board. A majority of the Board is required for binding votes by the Board.
Section 2 – The Board shall approve the annual budget. Any expenditure approved in the budget does not require subsequent approval. The Board must approve any expenditure over $500 not in the budget.
Section 3—The Board has the discretion to approve small expenditures for the greater library community under extraordinary circumstances.
Section 4-- The Board may form standing committees. The standing committees shall be those necessary to perform the objectives of the Organization.
Section 5 – The Board may form ad hoc committees. These ad hoc committees may be created as needed to complete the work of the Board.
Section 6—Board meetings shall be held as often as needed to conduct Board business but not less than quarterly. The President shall call regular meetings of the Board as needed. The agenda for the meetings should be determined by the President. The President has discretion to address items from the floor.
Section 7—The President shall have discretion to solicit feedback electronically from Friends’ members about time sensitive items that arise between regularly scheduled meetings. Approval of said items may be by electronic vote of the Board. Votes will be recorded and documented by the Clerk. Notification of vote results may be made electronically and the results shall be noted in the next regular meeting minutes.
Section 8 – One person from the Board shall serve as liaison to the Board of Trustees of the Library.
Section 9 The Board will designate one member who is not authorized as a signatory to independently reconcile/confirm account balances on a quarterly basis.
ARTICLE VI – REVISIONS TO THE BY-LAWS
The Board shall review the by-laws regularly. These bylaws may be amended or repealed at any scheduled meeting of the Board by a majority of the members in attendance. Any proposed revisions shall be delivered to all active membership fee paying members of the Friends of the Library at least two (2) days before the meeting at which they will be voted upon.
No proposed bylaw shall contain any provisions inconsistent with law or the articles of organization for the regulation and management of the affairs of the organization. Whenever any section of this chapter refers to the by-laws, a provision included in the articles of organization shall be treated, for the purposes of such section, as if it had been included in the by-laws.
APPENDIX 1 – MEMBERSHIP FEE STRUCTURE
Membership classes and the associated dues are as follows:
Senior / Student $ 10.00
Individual / Family 20.00
Benefactor 50.00
Patron 100.00
By-Laws Downloadable PDF Version:
Below is the Certificate of Solicitation from the Attorney General
.jpg)
