CONWAY — Residents are invited to join the Friends of the Field Memorial Library for an anniversary celebration and to raise money for another year of programming.

On Saturday, July 13, people can visit the library from 1:30 to 4 p.m. for an afternoon of family-friendly activities and presentations, as well as the Friends’ third annual fundraising appeal, which raises money for everything from programs and musical performances to scholarships. Refreshments will be served.

The key discussion will be “History and Future of the Library” by Library Trustees Chair Howard Boyden. The talk will discuss the library’s history dating back to its founding by Marshall Field, along with its past and future challenges that need to be addressed as the building reaches 123 years old.

“It’s getting along in years, it’s over 120 years old and even though it’s a stone building, it has its issues,” Boyden said. “We’re working with the means that we have and we have a plan going forward. There’s some fairly major projects in the pipeline.”

Boyden will begin his talk at 2 p.m. and Amy Donovan, program director with the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District, will lead a family-friendly composting with worms activity outside at 1:30 p.m. Finally, at 2:45 p.m., the Library Trustees and Friends will host a “show and tell” focused on the landscaping, front steps and other projects they’ve undertaken.

The Field Memorial Library was gifted to the town by Marshall Field, a Conway native and founder of Chicago-based department stores Marshall Field and Co. The building’s 19th-century features and rotunda are unique among the structures in Conway and it greets people driving through both ends of town.

“It’s actually our central focal point for the town of Conway,” Boyden said. “A lot of people are impressed with it driving by; when they walk in, their jaws actually drop. It’s really quite beautiful.”

Over the last year, the Friends group has provided financial support for street-side landscaping, installed new lighting, powerwashed the front steps and sponsored numerous free events, including the well-attended senior prom in May. The Friends raised $3,000 at last year’s anniversary event, a mark they hope to surpass this year.

The Friends of the Field Memorial Library, Boyden said, “is a group that is very active and very effective at bringing focus to the library and increasing circulation and providing some really nice programs.”

“The people of the town really appreciate the library much more because of the effort of the Friends,” he added.

To donate, checks made out to The Friends of the Field Memorial Library can be sent to P.O. Box 189, Conway, MA 01341.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.