Friends of the Library

What are Library Friends? | Joining Friends | Meetings | Friends by Branch

What Are Library Friends?

Friends of the Library are volunteers who act as liaisons between the library and local community. The Friends of the Library provide support in the following ways:

Sponsor programs and exhibits within the library
Promote library activities
Assist in educating other residents about library programs and services
Encourage gifts & contributions to the library
Foster planned giving & endowments
Work for passage of appropriate laws affecting libraries
Actively support the policies established by the Board of Library Trustees
Monitor and support adequate funding for libraries

The value of an organized Friends group cannot be measured in dollars and cents. Besides raising funds for the library through activities such as used book sales, author autographing sessions, and craft shows, Friends provide valuable support services to the library. They may assist in maintaining historical records of the community, publish newsletters of their activities, develop community calendars, or sponsor public forums on civic affairs.

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Joining Friends

Use our online form from your local branch page or visit the branch in person with copy of our printable application.

Some branches also have organized Student Friends (see KidSpace) and Teen Advisory groups (see TeenSpace).

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Friends Meetings

All local Friends of the Library groups meet on a regular basis, the frequency of which varies from group to group. Contact your local branch for a schedule of meeting dates and times.

Each individual Friends of the Library group meets in the local branch library. The Branch Manager serves as an advisor and ex-officio member of the local Friends Board. He/she is the official representative of Cuyahoga County Public Library and in that capacity speaks as its administrative voice.