This document outlines the role and benefits of Friends of the Library groups. It discusses how these non-profit volunteer organizations advocate for libraries, raise funds, sponsor programming, and increase community awareness of library services. Friends groups can raise money, volunteer, help with events, and support the library's collection and resources. The document emphasizes that Friends are valuable partners and advocates who help the library thrive.

1. Enhancing Your Library in Your
Community

2. President, Friends of Canadian
Libraries (FOCAL)

3.  Is a non-profit volunteer organization
supporting Friends groups and libraries
across Canada
 Offers information and resources
 Provides opportunities for networking and
sharing ideas
 Provides a useful website
(www.friendsoflibraries.ca)
 Produces a newsletter twice a year

4. What Friends groups can do for their libraries:
 Advocate
 Increase public awareness of the library and its
services
 Raise funds, over and above the library’s
operating budget
 Fund materials for the library’s collection and for
special collections
 Assist with the library’s fundraising, particularly for
a capital campaign

5.  Help fund costly library equipment or furniture
 Sponsor programming
 Provide support for library programs or special
events
 Establish a good volunteer base

6. Advocate
◦ The library will have an established group of advocates,
ready to act at short notice
◦ Friends have a network of supporters
◦ Whenever the library needs support, Friends can be
called on
 When services are threatened
 When branch closures are imminent
 When budgets are in danger of being cut
 When funds are needed for a new facility

7. Increase public awareness of the library and its
services
◦ Friends hold events in the library and in other locations
throughout the community where they promote what the
library offers
◦ They partner with other organizations, raising the profile
of the library and of the Friends
◦ Friends garner media attention for their activities that
brings the library to the public’s attention
◦ They sponsor library programs with funds; sometimes
Friends’ volunteers assist with refreshments

8. Raise funds, over and above the library’s operating
budget
◦ Most Friends groups raise money for their library; the
amount raised depends on the type of fundraisers they
are able to undertake and the number of active
volunteers
◦ Many Library Directors come to their Friends with a “wish
list” of items they would like the Friends to fund

9. How do Friends raise funds?
◦ Book sales
◦ Book stores
◦ Yard sales
◦ Bake sales
◦ Plant sales
◦ Bingos
◦ Lotteries
◦ Raffles
◦ Special events
◦ Gift shop

10. Assist with the library’s fundraising, particularly for a
capital campaign
◦ Friends can capitalize on their contacts within the
community to approach businesses and organizations
for donations to the library’s capital campaign
◦ Helping the library raise significant funds demonstrates
to the community the strong partnership and
collaboration between the library and the Friends
◦ Plan special gala events where the Friends provide the
“people power” to make it happen

11. Sponsor programming
◦ Books for Babies
◦ Other children’s programs
◦ Teen programs
◦ Book clubs
◦ Author readings
◦ Speakers
◦ Gardening programs
◦ Art shows

12. Provide support for library programs or special
events
◦ Prepare and serve refreshments
◦ Assist with special library events, such as
Doors Open, 50th or 100th Anniversary events
◦ Provide materials for library draws for summer
reading programs, etc.
◦ Adopt-a-book program
◦ Fund Visunet Canada Partners program

13. Fund materials for the library’s collection and for
o Special collections
o Books
o Books on CD
o Large print books
o Music CDs
o Special collections
o Digital audio books for people with a print disability
o Books on a specific topic

14. o Donate wall hanging or artwork
o Donate patron baskets
o DVDs
o Descriptive DVDs
o DVDs with closed captioning
o Magazine subscriptions

15. Help fund costly library technology, equipment or
furniture
◦ Fund computers
◦ Fund computer work stations
◦ Fund adaptive equipment for people with a
print disability
◦ Donate a walker
◦ Pay for furniture for children’s section of the
library
◦ Pay for chairs or a chesterfield

16.  Establish a good volunteer base
◦ Volunteer for Friends activities
◦ Many Friends volunteers also assist the library in other
ways
 Taking shifts in a café
 Courier service between branches
 Outreach services to seniors in their homes or in
nursing homes
 Helping with other library events, displays or
outreach activities

17.  Establish a good volunteer base
◦ Recruit and retain an established volunteer
base which the library can utilize for other
activities, events
◦ Build up a network of committed library
supporters
◦ Encourage student volunteers who may come
back again when they are older

18. Friends and the library can partner with other
community organizations for public awareness
events
◦ Displays or events with community service
organizations, like the CNIB, Canadian Hearing
Association
◦ Displays or events with consumer groups
◦ Joint fundraisers

19. Friends and the library can partner with other community
organizations for public awareness events
 Recycling events
 Horticultural society
 Genealogy society
 Art gallery
 Heritage groups
 Parades
 Summer festivals

20.  Friends can approach businesses or other
community organizations to suggest they become
involved in sponsoring a specific activity
 Friends can approach a business for donations for
a silent auction or draw prize – establishes a
connection with businesses that support the
library, literacy or access to information

21.  Friends can be instrumental in bringing new users
in to the library
 Friends are welcoming
◦ Friends are in a unique position to promote the library
to the public
 They can be the first contact for people new to the
community
 They can offer students a unique volunteer experience;
students who may not have used the library much in the
past

22.  Friends love their library.
 Friends love books.
 Friends are dedicated, committed volunteers.
 They want to help the library thrive.
 Friends enjoy what they do.
 Friends provide added value to the library.

23.  Friends are the library’s best advocates and
their most valuable partners.
 Friends tell others about what their library
means to them.
 They have chosen to give their time and energy
to an organization that contributes greatly to the
community. Many Friends volunteer for more
than one organization.

24.  Appreciate and value what your
Friends group does for your library
and your community.
 Don’t wait until you need advocates,
additional money or support, nurture
those people who believe in the
library and they will not let you down.

25.  "The best time to make friends is
before you need them." -- Ethel
Barrymore
 If your library doesn’t have a Friends
group, think about staring one. You
will reap the benefits for many years.