2026 Stand Up Friends Spotlight #2: Douglas Co.

Saturday Splash included short video tributes to each volunteer in the Stand Up for Standout Friends “Class of 2026.” We will also give each a spotlight in an upcoming e-newsletter. Next up:

Lynne Cosmano | Friends of the Douglas Co. Library

When Illinois native Lynne Cosmano relocated to Alexandria in 1995, signing up for a Douglas County Library card was her first priority. That’s not surprising to those who know her. Libraries are practically in her blood. She boasts not just one, but two sisters plus a brother-in-law in the library profession. Lynne cannot recall when exactly she joined up with the Douglas County Friends of the Library, but it would have been soon afterward.

In the years since, Lynne has particularly relished supporting the group’s gargantuan annual book sale at the Runestone Community Center – an Alexandria institution that will mark its 45th anniversary in 2027. As an organizer, she brings the eye of a shopper. “My friends and family know that gently used books are often part of the gifts I give for Christmas or birthdays,” she has said. Between sales, Lynne volunteers at the Friends bookstore on Wednesday mornings and stewards the Friends’ long-running Baby Books Program partnership with Horizon Public Health.

The Friends are not the only beneficiary of Lynne’s giving spirit, either. She also volunteers as an usher and part-time costumer at the local Andria Theater, leads sewing classes at Discovery Middle School, and is a frequent chaperone and factotum volunteer for the high school marching band’s Band Boosters.