MADISON – After moving to Madison, Ann Dow wasted now time in finding an outlet to help her new community. Now, she is enthusiastic to recruit others to join her in Friends of the Madison Library.

Among their projects, Friends of the Madison Library work in Madison Children’s Garden – A Living Library.(CONTRIBUTED)

“I wanted to find something useful to do. Since I had been involved with the West Deptford Library in New Jersey, I joined the local Friends of the Library and left my first meeting as membership committee chairperson,” Dow said.

The Friends’ fundraising provides planting and upkeep of gardens and benches. Madison Children’s Garden – A Living Library garden is recognized as a natural laboratory for children’s education in earth science, she said.

“We help support children’s programs designed to stimulate your children’s minds,” Dow said. “We also provide wholesome entertainment that helps them learn while having fun.”

The Friends of the Madison Library indirectly promotes conservation by re-selling books “that have a lot of knowledge and pleasure still to deliver,” she said. “Friends’ used book sales re-circulate joy and use the funds realized to provide extras for the library.”

Dow pointed out that Madison Public Library has the only used book store in Madison. “Our stock is varied and contains materials to appeal to all tastes. For a very small investment, you can build your own collection of favorites.”

Dow and her husband moved in March from West Deptford, N.J. to live near in a warmer climate near one of their three sons. “The son in Madison won (or lost) the lottery,” she said.

A former English instructor, Down has “an affinity for libraries and see them as a vital resource in any community.” She taught at Rutgers University and was a freelance writer for “Philadelphia Inquirer” until retiring in 1997.

Many of the Friends’ upcoming activities will focus on the library’s expansion.

Membership forms are available at the library’s checkout desk, or email to rhetlady@yahoo.com or visit hmcpl.org/madison.