Neighbors who decided the library was worth protecting.
Friends of Smyrna Public Library shall be a non-profit organization whose object shall be to promote the interest and welfare of Smyrna Public Library as a cultural, educational, and recreational asset to the town of Smyrna and Rutherford County, including contributing to reading engagement in the local community via donations of books and educational materials to non-profit, community and governmental agencies.Article II, Constitution of the Friends of Smyrna Public Library
Why we exist
Public libraries do extraordinary work on modest budgets. The Friends exist to close the gap between what a library is funded to do and what a community actually needs it to be.
We raise money through memberships, used book sales, and gifts. We put it to work for the library and for readers across Smyrna and Rutherford County, and it keeps our all-volunteer group running. We also get books into the community so the love of reading reaches well beyond our walls: $500 for books for the Smyrna West library, free books for the Smyrna Police Department's Books in Cruisers, and the Little Friends Libraries you can still spot around town.
One thing people often ask: the Friends are not the library. We are a separate nonprofit with our own volunteer board, bylaws, and constitution, a little like a PTO is to a school. The library brings us requests for programs and equipment its budget can't stretch to cover, and our board votes on each one.
What the Friends fund
- The Summer Reading Program
- The Run to Read Fun Run
- One Book One Community
- Read to Succeed
- Comic Book Day
- The Depot Days booth and book sale
- Farmers Market sponsorship
- Appreciation for our library staff
A quiet tradition, kept alive.
A handful of Smyrna readers form the Friends to give the library a dedicated source of support.
Theresa Pickett and Kim Shepherd help revive the Friends, and book sales, memberships, and gifts start funding the library again.
A 13-member volunteer board and 125 members keep the tradition going, one book and one neighbor at a time.
Something to look forward to all year.
Members are the heart of every one of these. Come to one, or help with all of them.
Souper Saturday
Our membership drive, with free soup and crackers for everyone who comes and a soup contest.
Run to Read Fun Run
The Friends' way of kicking off National Library Week. Run it, walk it, or volunteer.
Depot Days
Members work the Friends booth at Smyrna Depot Days.
Local Author Fair and Annual Meeting
Meet writers from our own community, and vote on next year's board at the Annual General Membership Meeting.
Scholastic Book Fair
Friends members help run the library's annual book fair.
Mystery Dinner
Volunteer, or buy a ticket and come solve the case.
Your Board of Directors.
Serving through December 2026. The board elected in October takes office in January.
President
Ginny Williams
Leads the Friends and represents us to the library and the community.
Vice President
Molly Jennings
Supports the president and helps steer our programs and events.
Treasurer
Susie Hardesty
Watches over every dollar and makes sure each gift is used the way it was given.
Secretary
Lysa Rigo
Keeps our records and the minutes of every meeting we hold.
Board members
Dre' Bessone
Becky Carter- KKatie Clark
- LLisa Evans
- LLezlie Fry
- MMichael Hendrickson
Stacy Martinez
Sondra Owens- KKate Parker
Come to a board meeting
The board is 7 to 13 Friends members who meet once a month at the Smyrna Public Library to plan our events and vote on the library's requests. The public is always welcome to attend and observe. Send us a note for the date and time.
Want to serve? Every board member is a Friends member who is ready to work. Ask us for a board application.
Become part of the reason this library thrives.
Membership starts at $15 a year. Members vote at the Annual Meeting and become eligible for Veritas Federal Credit Union membership.