A local non-profit dedicated to enriching resources for Cape residents is celebrating its Golden Anniversary this weekend.

This Saturday starting at 9:30 a.m., the Friends of the Cape Coral Library will host a special event in honor of their 50th anniversary with refreshments, historical presentation, remarks by past presidents and local dignitaries. A guided tour of the library will follow with focus on the organization’s contributions over five decades.

“November of 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of Little Across – Friends of the Cape Coral Library,” said the Friends’ Publicity and Art Gallery Chairperson, as well as past President, Monica Rahman. “So many dedicated members and enthusiastic volunteers have made our organization a success over the years, and the library has benefited from our efforts.

“Enjoy an interesting pictorial screen presentation about the story of our organization that is closely intertwined with the history of the library — and the city itself. Learn how funds we’ve raised have enhanced the library experience over the years and into the present.”

Organized years ago, and headed by first president Betsy Zeiss, the group started their journey as “Little Acorns.” Zeiss was one of the founders of the library and later became well-known for her book, “The Other Side of the River,” written in the mid-1980s about the history of Cape Coral.

The first library in Cape Coral opened 10 years before the incorporation of the Friends and was a bootstrap operation founded when the town’s population was only 1,100.

“A group of women handled everything needed to get started with the help of their husbands, who built the shelves,” Rahman said. “They raised funds, sought volunteers, and canvassed for book donations.”

The library opened in a small shop located in Cape Coral’s first shopping plaza, and as the city grew and the number of library patrons increased, the library location changed several times as larger and still larger facilities became necessary.

On July 31, 1987 the Cape Coral Library moved into a brand-new building at 921 Southwest 39th Terrace, where it stands today. As part of a library expansion project, the then-Little Acorns donated more than $80,000 to provide furniture for a quiet reading area, an outdoor patio and space for an art gallery.

The Friends raise funds for supporting programs and purchasing materials for the library that are not covered by the Lee County budget. Over the span of 50 years, the Friends are proud to say they have contributed more than $500,000 to the Cape Coral Library.

“And we hope to a part of this wonderful library’s history for many years to come,” Rahman said.

Recent enhancements over the last dozen years to the Cape Coral Library made possible by the Friends include: children’s section interactive play walls, shaded seating in the Butterfly Garden, meeting and conference room tables, children’s sections modular furniture, upgrades to the A/V system in both the meeting room and story time rooms, automated material handling equipment and exterior drop-off, and check-in kiosks.

Exhibitions in the spacious art gallery at the Cape Coral Library are sponsored by the Friends and are designed to afford local artists the opportunity to share their work in this public forum without fees or commissions. Visitors of all ages benefit from this varied, visual cultural experience. Exhibitions change approximately six times per year.

Another resource provided by the Friends is the Butterfly Garden. Just beyond the circulation desk in-between the adult and children’s section of the library, patrons can relax and enjoy a bit of nature. The paved patio features bench seats and trellis covered in flowering vines to arrant butterflies. The garden is maintained with the help of the Garden Club and is open during library operating hours.

As library advocates, their members speak out in support of local, state, and national libraries.

A few examples of how the Friends support library activities on an ongoing basis include:

• Sponsoring the Annual “Coloring the Earth” Children’s Environmental Art Contest

• Handling the library’s spacious Art Gallery and arranging for local artists to display their work

• Funding supplies, refreshments, prizes, paid performers and instructors for children’s programs

• Serving as a sponsor for the annual SW Florida Reading Festival

• Paying fees for speakers and performers for adult programs

• Providing refreshments for monthly “English Cafe” for adult ESOL/ESL students.

• Paying for the library’s Butterfly Garden supplies

• Funding the Book Page monthly magazine.

Rahman said the Friend’s goals “Are the enhancement of the library experience through the support of special projects and programs and acting as advocates for libraries.”

All officers and committee participants serve the organization on a volunteer basis without compensation. As of January 2023, the Friends have approximately 270 members and is considered to be one of the most successful — and is the longest lasting — of the Friends groups within the Lee County Library System. FOCCL raises money primarily by selling used books, through membership dues, and from any donations. Over the past 22 years, the Friends have raised more than $350,000 selling used books.

General Membership Meetings, which are free and open to the public, are held at the Cape Coral Library on a Saturday morning during the months of January, March, May, July, September and November. Dates can vary; please be sure to check the Friends’ calendar. Meetings start at 9:30 a.m. and include coffee and snacks, then a business meeting, followed by an interesting and informative presentation.

“Socialize with members, hear about upcoming events, and find out how you can help us make this important community resource, our library, even better,” Rahman said.

For more information, visit www.capefriends.org.

–Connect with this reporter on Twitter: @haddad_cj