Friends’ Mission:
The Friends of the Berkeley Public Library is a 501(c)(3) California nonprofit organization whose purpose is to support and expand the educational, cultural, and outreach programs of the Berkeley Public Library. The Friends work with Library staff to build collections, support programming, and stimulate interest in the Library.
What the Friends do:
Money raised by the Friends helps pay for many of the events at the Berkeley Public Library.
- Children’s programming in the libraries, including the Summer Reading Program, puppet shows, craft programs, and storytellers
- Teen programming and book clubs
- Adult programming including author talks, poetry readings, Berkeley history lectures, and lunchtime concerts
- The adult literacy program, Berkeley Reads
- Staff scholarships for library studies