Friends of the Library, Launceston

Friends of the Library, Launceston Inc. is a community group supporting and promoting public library services at Launceston Library. Since 1992 Friends have organised events, lobbied for public libraries, helped as volunteers, and raised funds for library services. Our patron is the Mayor Matthew Garwood.

The Friends group has been recognised with Tasmanian government awards and, in conjunction with Launceston Library in 2007, the national Peter McInnes Award for services for children and young people. The Tasmanian Community Fund awarded the Friends a grant of $16,000 in 2005 to initiate the Launceston Family Album, a community project identifying season ticket holders to the Tasmanian International Exhibition of 1891-92, which resulted in the publication of an archival volume, a 320-page hard cover book The Tasmanian Exhibition 1891-92, a year-long newspaper series, a CD and the Launceston Family Album website.

Activities

Library Book Sale: Friends’ main annual fundraiser features a great range of fiction, non-fiction, children’s books and audio-visual materials: thousands of items donated by members of the community and sold at bargain prices. The Book Sale is usually held at St Ailbe’s Hall on the first Saturday in March. Details are available on the Friends of the Library Launceston Facebook page.

Live at the Library: A regular program of free musical performances on the first and third Saturdays of the month at 10.30 at Launceston Library. Details on the Friends of the Library Launceston Facebook page.

Local history publications: The Friends group has published a series of local history books. The most recent is A Priceless Gift: The Launceston Mechanics’ Institute and Public Library 1906-1948 by Stefan Petrow, published in 2023. $35.00.

Other publications:

The Journals of Charlotte Cleveland by Gill Morris. $20
A fortune may be made… Launceston’s 19th Century Breweries by Jai Paterson. $20 (Out of print)
The Outcome of Enterprise: Launceston’s Waverley Woolen Mills. By Julian Burgess. $25 (Out of print)
and, with Launceston Library, On the Tide Nos. 1,2 & 3

The books are available from Launceston Library and Tasmanian booksellers.

Support for children’s services: Providing funds for projects and equipment for children’s services at Launceston and its catchment libraries as well as funding workshops, visiting speakers and performers.

Organising and participating: Being involved in Library-related events.

Volunteering: with research in local history, home library service deliveries, helping with displays, exhibitions and events, helping organise and digitise records.

Membership of the Friends

Membership is open to any person in the community who wishes to support library services at the Launceston Library. The cost is $10 per person annually. Membership forms are available in the Café area in Launceston Library or by emailing launceston.friends@gmail.com. You can pay by direct deposit to our Bendigo Bank account: BSB 633-000 Account number 172 969 347. Use your family name as the reference and email launceston.friends@gmail.com with your details.

You can also pay at a Friends’ meeting or by sending payment by post to PO Box 607, Launceston TAS 7250.

If you’d like to support library services in Launceston, consider becoming a Friend to assist us with:

Raising funds at the Book Sale
Attend Friends social functions and Library-based events
Collaborate in publishing local history books
Work with the community to enhance our library services
Participate in volunteer activities such as digitising historic records and photographs
Advocate on behalf of public libraries.

As a Friend of the Library, Launceston you can be involved in these activities, or you can show support by becoming a subscribing member. Email us for a membership brochure.

Meeting of the Friends

Meetings open to all members are held on the last Thursday of every month at 3.30pm in the Meeting Room on the Second Floor of the Launceston Library. Come along at 3pm for a chat and a drink before the meeting.