What's on your kid's bookshelf?

Grown-ups aren't the only ones who can show their library pride. Junior Memberships to the Friends of the Library cost $3 and they can help your child start their very own home library.

“Friend” is a term that’s used so lightly in today’s Facebook era. There are Facebook-friends and then there are friend-friends. The latter are the ones you genuinely care about and who make your life happier. You want to be around them IRL.

The same can be said of The Friends of the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library. Those who join the Friends are more than mere acquaintances with the library. There’s a show of genuine affection and passion for the library, and for reading, that comes with a Friends membership.

“A Friends membership card is an emblem of pride,” says Mary Campbell, Friends manager.

Adults can flash their membership cards at Friends-only events like the Book Swap or Bag Day Book Sale. They also get discounts at the library’s Booktique and first dibs at the huge annual Book Sale. Memberships start at $20/year, and that helps to fund innovative stuff at the library – the Make-It Lab, new bookmobiles, collections and equipment.

Kids, too, can show pride in being library readers by getting a Friends Junior Membership. Pick one up in the Booktique for $3. The card is good for $13 in purchases at the Booktique for an entire year. Have you ever seen the prices at the Booktique? Your little reader can get a whole lot of books for $13.

And not only will they feel proud for their affiliation with the library, (a place kids tend to love with the passion of a thousand fires) but they'll also get to pick out and purchase books to begin building their very own library at home.

Call the Friends for more info, 580-4445, or visit the Booktique.