Byline: Lynne Klaft

LUNENBURG - Seven year old Joe Maki wrote, illustrated and presented his book, "Mission to Mars," to the Lunenburg Public Library this past week, thanks to the generosity of the Friends of Lunenburg Public Library.

"The Friends are awesome, they work so hard

The children's Book Writing Workshop was a five-week summer program funded by the Friends, with 18 children presenting their laminated, hand-sewn books to the library for other children to check out.

"Kids come and take these out all the time. It's a great program," Ms. Sadkin said, as she stood by the shelf of books that contains works by many budding authors.

This year's program will add books about Ninjas, sports, Muffin Martians, a mystery, a Curse of the Mummy story, and a fantasy story by 12-year-old Shivangi Pandey about a princess and a "Golden Bird" who turns out to be a prince.

In addition to the book-making workshop, the Friends sponsor the Museum Pass program, which allows residents to use free passes to the Boston Children's Museum, Davis' Farmland, DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park, the Discovery Museum, Ecotarium, Higgins Armory Museum, the Fitchburg Art Museum, Massachusetts State Parks, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, the New England Aquarium, and the Museum of Fine Arts, just to name a few.

The passes are reservable online through the library's Web site at www.lunenburgpubliclibrary.org, either by date or by name of museum. Information on the museums is also on the Web site.

Non-residents must call the library directly to access museum passes.

The Friends also fund children, teens and adult programs, including book clubs, craft times, the Great Cardboard Boat Race, the Annual Pet Show, reading programs, and refreshments for those programs.

The Friends host a book club that meets the third Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. September's book is "Longitude" by Dava Sobel.

"This is a lively group of people who read very diverse books. They just finished an adult graphic novel, a new literary genre," Ms. Sadkin said.

The Friends' other monthly event is the Friday Night Flicks, which presents first run independent movies on the last Friday of every month at 8 p.m. in the Wallace Room, with drinks and snacks provided for a small fee.

Book and bake sales are held in June and October of each year and generate a majority of the proceeds that the Friends use to fund programs.

The Friends recently had a well-attended appraisal day held by Lunenburg resident Paul Royka, which attracted area residents who brought in tables, paintings, toys, dolls, china, silver, lamps, books, and more for Mr. Royka to examine and appraise value and age.

Being a Friend costs $10 a year to be a family member. Other income to the Friends comes from donations received through bequests, and donations in memory of a library supporter.

"We try to use those bequests for a purpose that honors the memory of the person whom they're donated for. Our signage, the beautiful lobby bench and many books and library materials have been purchased using these types of donations.

"The Friends are our knights in shining armor," Ms. Sadkin said.

For more information on the Friends or any library program, upcoming events, or museum passes, call the Lunenburg Public Library at (978) 582-4140, or visit their Web site at www.lunenburgpubliclibrary.org.

ART: PHOTOS

CUTLINE: Joe Maki, 7, above, wrote his book, "Mission to Mars," right, during the children's Book Writing Workshop this summer. The program was funded by the Friends of Lunenburg Public Library.

PHOTOG: LYNNE KLAFT PHOTOS