One of the Best $25 Investments You Can Make in Summit

When people think about supporting local, they often think about shopping at neighborhood stores, dining at family-owned restaurants, or attending community events. Those are all wonderful ways to strengthen our town - but there's another local organization that deserves our support, and for just $25 a year, you can help make an incredible impact.

The Friends of the Summit Free Public Library is one of those behind-the-scenes organizations that quietly helps make our library so much more than a place to borrow books.

For the cost of a dinner out - or a couple of specialty coffees - you become part of a group that helps fund programs, resources, and experiences that benefit residents of every age. The Friends provide financial support for items and programs that fall outside of the library's regular operating budget, including museum passes, music performances, lecture series, special events, and other community programming that thousands of Summit residents enjoy each year.

Think about it:

• A child discovers a love of reading during a library program.
• A senior attends a free concert or educational lecture.
• A family borrows museum passes and creates memories they otherwise may not have been able to afford.
• A resident learns a new skill through one of the library's many programs.

Those moments happen because people in our community choose to give back.

The Friends of the Library also help strengthen the connection between the library and the people it serves by sponsoring events, encouraging volunteerism, and advocating for one of Summit's most valuable public resources. Their mission is simple: make an already outstanding library even better.

One of the things I love most is that membership isn't about receiving discounts or perks; it's about investing in something that benefits everyone. Even if you don't use every program yourself, chances are someone you know does. The return on your $25 investment is measured in stronger community connections, expanded educational opportunities, and experiences that enrich life in Summit.

If you've ever checked out a book, attended a program, borrowed a museum pass, studied in the library, or simply appreciated having such an incredible community resource nearby, becoming a Friend is an easy way to say "thank you."

Membership is just $25 per year for adults, with reduced rates for seniors and free memberships for children. Every membership and donation helps the Friends continue supporting programs and services that make our library one of Summit's true community treasures.

Supporting local isn't only about where we shop.

It's also about investing in the places that educate us, inspire us, bring us together, and help build the kind of community we're proud to call home.

Sometimes, the most meaningful investment you can make costs just $25.

Being a Friend is only a click away!