Moore County Friends of the Library President Clara Bernicken recently presented a check for more than $1,300 to Diane Williams, interim library director.

The money was raised at the Friends' annual used book sale and will be used to purchase new books for all locations of the Moore County Library System: Carthage, Robbins, Vass, Aberdeen and Pinebluff.

Along with the check, the Friends welcomed Williams to Moore County and thanked her for helping to arrange the book sale, according a spokesman.

Prior to coming here, Williams was the library director at Montgomery Community College. She has a master's degree in library science and 30 years of experience in varied library settings.

The goal of the Friends organization is to focus attention on and to support public library services in Moore County.

In addition to the book sale, recent projects included partial funding of the children's summer reading program and holding an open house that showcased history and artifacts relating to the early timber industry in Moore County, as well as children's books about forest animals by local author Glen Rounds. The open house was part of the inaugural Moore County arts festival, Palustris, held earlier this year in which area libraries sponsored the community read of "Serena," a novel about timbering in the 1920s, by North Carolina author Ron Rash.

Currently, the Friends have fold-up carry bags for books available for purchase at all county libraries and on the bookmobile.

For more information or to join the Friends, contact Clara Bernicken at (910) 673-1971.