The Hampton B. Allen Library will hold a reception to boost community interest and show the community the benefits the library provides.

The event will be hosted by the Friends of the Library and will include a tour of the library, according to librarian Aaron Mehaffey.

Mehaffey said that while active Friends of the Library members will receive an invitation, it is free and open to the community.

The library has held similar receptions before, but not in a couple of years, Mehaffey said.

“It’s really to revitalize the Friends of the Library group and to stimulate interest,” he said.

Friends of the Library helps support the library, buying things it otherwise may not be able to obtain, including the library’s security mirrors.

There are several different membership tiers. The first, Juniors, is for children 1-18 years old and is $5 per year. The second tier for individual adults is $10 annually, while families can get a membership for $20 annually. Civic organizations can get a $50 membership.

There are also higher individual tiers, Mehaffey said, including the Patron membership for $100 annually, the Sponsor level for $200, and the individual Life membership and Benefactor membership, each $500 annually.

The reception will be held at 2 p.m. Jan. 15. There will be food, drinks and a tour of the library.

Reach reporter Imari Scarbrough at 704-994-5471 and follow her on Twitter @ImariScarbrough.

By Imari Scarbrough

iscarbrough@civitasmedia.com