In a day and age where electronics are a regular fixture in everyone's lives, Nana’s Ice Cream and Candy sought to remind the community how much libraries matter.

On Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m., Nana’s patrons could support the Friends of the Wareham Free Library by buying ice cream. Though the parlor had already closed for the season, it reopened just for this event. Organized by Friends members Sandra Wheeler, Winna Dean and Priscilla Porter, all proceeds from ice cream sales went towards the Spinney Memorial Library branch of the library.

Established in 1976, the Friends of the Wareham Free Library is a community group that works with library staff and trustees to provide library services. For three years, the Friends have payed the operating costs of the Spinney, said Wheeler, the president of the organization.

The Friends are diligent in finding ways to keep the community involved in helping the Spinney thrive.

“We do the monthly book sales. In December…we do a holiday theater, [and] we did a rubber duck race [in June],” Wheeler said.

The community gives back to the library, too. All books for the library's used book drives are donated. Wheeler said there was quite a hefty stock of books to be sold at the library's upcoming book sale on Sept. 22.

Spinney was closed for a few years but reopened in July. Now that it’s fully operational, the Friends hope to extend the hours soon, Dean said.

Because Spinney is smaller than the Wareham Free Library, it costs less to extend its hours, so it’s more readily available to students, young children and others looking to productively fill their time. Its operation also helps the main library hit its required operating hours.

“It’s been the saving grace for the town,” Wheeler said.