February is Library Lover's Month at your Santa Rosa County Library, a month-long celebration of public libraries and a time for everyone to recognize the important role libraries play in local communities and the nation as a whole. Whether you depend on the library for bestselling books, children's story times or access to computers and the Internet, Santa Rosa County residents are encouraged to show how much you love your local public library this month. Below are some ideas:

Be a Friend Join the Friends of your local Santa Rosa County Library, a support group of volunteers who provide fundraising and other assistance for the public library. Each community library has a "Friends of the Library" organization that supports its local library by advocating for library services, increased funding, and improved and expanded facilities. They serve as library volunteers and operate book sales and other fund-raising events to assist libraries with special projects beyond the scope of the county budget.

In addition to joining your local Friends group, you can give the gift of membership to a friend or relative, donate your used books for the Friends books sales, or write a check to your local library's Friends group.

If you would like to join a Friends group or get more information about your local Friends of the Library, link to the library system at http://www.santarosa. fl.gov/libraries. The Santa Rosa County Library System is a department of the Santa Rosa County Board of County Commissioners. Libraries are located in Gulf Breeze, Jay, Milton, and Navarre with the Pace library opening in 2007.