Friends of the Exeter Public Library

Mission

The mission of The Friends of the Exeter Public Library is to support and cooperate with the Exeter Public Library in obtaining resources and services for the public through fundraising, advocacy and volunteering. The Friends of the Exeter Public Library is formed exclusively for charitable, literary and educational purposes as specified in Sec 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended.

Committee

2026 Officers for Friends of Exeter Public Library

Co-presidents – Martha Walsh and Andrea Renz

Vice president – Hilary Ireland

Secretary – Carol Eberhardt

Treasurer – Roy Tellini

Bylaws of The Friends of the Exeter Public Library

Questions? Join us:

Friends Email: friendsofexeterpubliclibrary@gmail.com

Web Link: Facebook Page

The Friends of The Exeter Public Library is separate, non-profit community support group for the library. We assist the library by hosting fund raising events and by accepting donations on behalf of the library. Our members also provide a volunteer pool to the library to help with library events and to perform special projects such as maintaining the gardens adjacent to the library building and providing school supplies for the teen room.

We have a large mailing list and a small number of active members. There are volunteer roles for members that entail as llittle or as much time as the member is able to give.

Friends News

- The Friends supported Exeter's Independence Festival by hosting an information table about library services and providing a children's craft activity where kids could make a celebratory headband.

This is a compiled list of upcoming 2026 EPL–FOEPL events, created as a helpful way to see everything that’s on the calendar, in one place.

We hope this overview makes it easier to plan ahead, attend programs, and find opportunities to volunteer and participate as you’re able and as needs arise. Your involvement—whether at events, fundraisers, or behind the scenes—plays an important role in supporting the Library and our community.

Thank you for all that you do, and we look forward to seeing you at upcoming events.

Fundraising Opportunity

Community Night Fundraiser:

Good news! The Street Restaurant has offered us another community night, where 20% of participating dine-in purchases will be donated to the Friends of the Exeter Public Library.

- Location: Street Restaurant, 8 Clifford Street, Exeter, NH
- Date/Time: Tuesday, August 25 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Just mention the Friends of the Exeter Public Library to your server, and your meal will help support our work right here in the community.

Join Us for Dinner:
Come to dinner at 5:30 PM to meet and catch up with others from our Friends group! Please RSVP if you plan to join us so we can reserve a properly sized table.

How You Can Help:
Because The Street has updated their policy, all publicity for this event must be handled entirely by us. No on-site advertising, flyers, or vendor tables are permitted. We need your help to spread the word beforehand:

- Spread the news to your friends and family.
- Share the event on social media.
- Display promotional posters on your neighborhood community bulletin boards (posters are coming soon).

Street Restaurant Fundraiser August 25 from 5 to 9 PM. Tell your server you're supporting the Friends of Exeter Public Library

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS:

Who is interested in becoming part of a great organization?? Come join our Group!

View the Meeting Minutes at the bottom of this page for more information.

Upcoming volunteer opportunities:

You can volunteer by emailing the Friends at friendsofexeterpubliclibrary@gmail.com

They will let you know of the many opportuntities to engage with the public for raising funds for the library.

Ideas for new activities are welcome - what's your passion and what's your vision for our group?

If you are a fan of Cribbage or want to learn how to play - Cribbage is every 2nd Saturday of each month from 10 am to noon. All levels of players, including Beginners are welcome!

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NEXT MEETING:

Next Meeting Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 6:30 PM. It will be held in the children's craft room.

Minutes from August Meeting

Information for Donors

- The Friends of the Exeter Public Library is a 501(c)(3) organization with Tax ID # 82-1817723.
- Donations by check, payable to "Friends of the Exeter Public Library," can be mailed to: Exeter Public Library, 4 Chestnut Street, Exeter, NH 03833 or dropped of at the Adult Services desk.
- If you are interested in making a tax-free Qualified Charitable Deduction (QCD) donation from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA), please contact your IRA custodian for specific instructions. To make a QCD, please keep the following requirements in mind:
- The donor must be at least 70.5 years old
- The distribution must be made directly from an IRA account (401k accounts do not qualify).
- The donation must be transferred directly from the IRA to the charity.

Cribbage at the Library

Cribbage will be on every

2nd Saturday of each month

@ 10 AM - 12 PM

What We Do and What We Have Done...

Hold raffles at the Library craft fairs
Assist the library by volunteering at community events such as LitFest, Craft Fairs, and more...
Decorated a tree with an educational theme about challenged and banned books at the 2023 Festival of Trees
Promote the library in the community in various ways, including writing letters to the editor of the local paper and staffing informational tables at various Exeter events
Donate school supplies for teens
Hold fundraisers at Sea Dog Brewery
Hold Cribbage groups once a month
Partnered with Water Street Books to raise funds for library events
Maintain the gardens around the sculpture and the rain garden at Founder's Park
Funded the new library sign at the Founders Park entrance
Participated in a volunteer fair at River Woods.
Participated in the Healthy Kids Day at the YMCA
Set up the Donate a Book program
Held a plant swap to collect plants for the library garden and get people to come down to the library
Held a "Kids Day Out" at the library with crafts and a movie for kids
Donated 4 card tables for Mahjong, bridge, and general use.
Donated binders and dividers for the teen adulting class series.
Fund adult music at the library programs
Fund Summer Reading events such as music and magicians for the Children's Room
Donated six multipurpose tables
Donated recording equipment for community podcasting space