Friday, April 12, 2019

Friends of Franklin Library Receives $15,000 gift from Middlesex Savings Bank

The Friends of Franklin Library announces the receipt of a $15,000 gift from Middlesex Savings Bank. The donation will allow the organization to continue its work aiding programs at the Franklin Public Library.

“We would like to extend our thanks to Middlesex Savings Bank for their generous donation,” said Joseph L. Mullen, president of Friends of Franklin Library. Mullen noted that the donation is one of the largest made to the organization in recent years.

The Friends is an independent, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization that has supported library programs in Franklin for more than 20 years. Most recently, the group spearheaded the installation of 750 engraved bricks in the new patio outside the library’s School Street entrance, oversaw the addition of several benches and planters on the library grounds, and paid for new tables and chairs in the main reading room.

The recently renovated and expanded library on Main Street is home to a collection of books donated to the town by Benjamin Franklin. When town leaders decided in 1790 that those books should be made available for any resident to borrow, the collection became the first public lending library in America.

“Local libraries play a major role in making our communities the special places that they are,” said Mike McAuliffe, president and CEO of Middlesex Savings Bank. “They provide important resources that residents of all ages can utilize and enjoy. We are pleased to be making this gift to help support all that they do.”

The $15,000 gift to Friends of Franklin Library is part of a cumulative gift of $1.4 million that Middlesex Savings Bank distributed to 84 non-profit organizations including libraries, food pantries and senior centers. Natick-based Middlesex Savings Bank, founded in 1835, is one of the largest independent banks in Massachusetts. It has 30 branch offices located in 25 area communities.

Michael McAuliffe, CEO of Middlesex Savings Bank, with Friends of Franklin Library board members Kathie Nosek (center) and Maria Lucier (right)
Michael McAuliffe, CEO of Middlesex Savings Bank, with Friends of Franklin Library board members Kathie Nosek (center) and Maria Lucier (right) (Middlesex Bank photo)

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