Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library

FRIENDS OF THE DES PLAINES PUBLIC LIBRARY

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I want to honor The Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library, an organization that has been serving the Des Plaines community for the past 50 years.

The Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library was founded in April 1954 by a planning committee of the northwest suburban branch of the American Association of University Women and members of several parent organizations from Des Plaines area schools.

The initial objectives of The Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library were to stimulate interest in the library and record historical data for the town of Des Plaines. Much of the historical data first recorded by The Friends has since become part of the collection of the Des Plaines Historical Society.

Over the course of the past 50 years, The Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library has come to play an invaluable role in the ongoing operations of the institution and community they serve. Members have volunteered to straighten book shelves, provided rainy day plastic bags to help protect books on loan, and held voter registration drives.

The Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library holds ongoing book sales to provide financial support to the library, enabling the library to purchase additional resources and provide educational programming for the citizens of Des Plaines. In the past, the proceeds of these book sales have enabled the library to purchase computers and audio visual equipment.

I congratulate the Friends of the Des Plaines Public Library as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. I am confident that this organization will continue its long tradition of promoting and fostering a lifelong commitment to reading and education in the community of Des Plaines long into the future.