Memberships

The main source of the Friends revenue is membership. The Friends of the Tellico Village Library, Inc., is a non-profit, 501c(3) corporation dedicated to the support of the Public Library at Tellico Village. Funds from memberships are the principal revenue source to the Friends’ operating budget that covers the mortgage, utilities and facility maintenance and upgrades. Memberships are renewable annually. Note*: Membership levels above the individual level are for the entire household.

Membership Levels:

• Individual $35

• Household $60

• Sponsor $80

• Donor $100

• Benefactor $275

• Builder $500

• Bronze $1,000

• Gold Life $3,000

The Tellico Village Library started in 1987 as a book discussion group. Contact with the Loudon County Library Board resulted in 500 books being placed in a small alcove at the Yacht Club around 1989. In 1993, a Library Committee was formed and it was soon realized that a regular income flow was needed to finance operating expenses and future growth. A Friends of the Library group was incorporated in 1995 with 95 charter members. Membership dues were the first source of income, soon followed by a used book sale. With proceeds from dues, book sale, preview party, auction and other fundraising activities, the Library expanded rapidly and outgrew the Yacht Club quarters. The Friends signed a lease in 1997 for a 1,000 sq ft site at Lakeside Plaza. At this time the Library was still a private Tellico Village organization. In October, 1997, the Library became part of the Loudon County Library System with a Library Manager, and is open to all County residents as a Public Library. By 2001, the Library had again outgrown its quarters and in 2002 the Lakeside Plaza location was doubled in size to 2,000 sqft. The space was renovated and new shelving and furnishings were obtained through the generosity of the community and the Friends of the Library.

Since the Library is in an unincorporated area of Loudon County and has no tax-base, the Friends provide most of the Library funds, including mortgage, insurance and some operating expenses. The Library Manager’s salary is paid by the County and a part-time Assistant’s is paid partly by the County and partly by the Friends. Major sources of income are Friends Memberships, book sales (at an annual book sale, now held 5 times a year) and through on-line book dealers. The Friends put on fundraisers throughout the year as well as receive donations for the leaves and bricks for the Donor Tree and the Maryann Bork Memorial Courtyard and of course the generous donations made by many residents, businesses and community organizations.

In 1998, The Friends of the Tellico Village Library was awarded the Friends of Libraries U.S.A./Harper Collins Publishers Award in honor of author Barbara Kingsolver, with the $10,000 prize to be used for the purchase of books. In 2000, the Library received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Learning Foundation for internet-access computer workstations and support software, and has continued to received additional support from this Foundation. Since 2001, the Library has received several significant grants from the Jane I. Pettway Foundation of Knoxville for support and expansion of library services. In 2006, the Friends received $50,000 from the estate of Maryann Bork, founding member of the Friends. In 2017, the Friends received a $9,616 Technology Grant from the State of Tennessee.

In 2004, the Friends began a program to build a new Library with square footage and resources capable to meet future needs of the community. Land was purchased in 2009 and design of a 6,500 sq ft facility began. In 2011, agreement was reached with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development Office for financing with a USDA long-term, low interest loan. Construction began in December 2011, and the Library, now called The Public Library at Tellico Village, opened on November 5, 2012. In 2014, The Friends of Tellico Village Library was honored as Friend of the Year by the Friends of Tennessee Libraries. In 2016, the Friends of Tellico Village LIbrary was awarded an Honorable Mention by the American Library Association at the National Friends of Libraries Week Awards. The Library was closed in 2018 after suffering major water damage from a 3”+ downpour in 3 or 4 hours. Thanks to the overwhelming financial generosity of the community, the Friends of Tellico Village Library was able to make the Library “better than new” and reopened after six weeks.

Written by Doug Christman