• Annual Meeting.  The 65th Annual Meeting of the Friends of The Seattle Public Library was held at the Northgate Community Center on October 29.  Enjoy the photos, see the gorgeous fall colors, and find out who is this year's Friend of the Year.

• It's Budget Season!  You can help The Seattle Public Library receive the City funding it deserves!  Click here for more information.

• The FriendShop is finally finished!  The new floor is in, and we have a great selection of jewelry, books, gifts and cards.  Be sure to bring the 10% web coupon with you!  Thank you to all who have supported the Shop during the construction.  We are just inside the 5th Avenue entrance (Level 3).

  

  

• The FriendShop needs volunteers to staff our retail shop at the Central Library in downtown Seattle. Make new friends and meet interesting people from all around the globe.  Days and times are flexible, so please contact the FriendShop.

The Friends of The Seattle Public Library is a non-profit, grassroots organization dedicated to promoting our Library as an essential institution of society. Our volunteer members advocate, educate, and raise funds on behalf of the Library, its patrons, and the larger Seattle community.

The Friends have been supporting the Seattle Public Library since 1941. Today, we have 13,000 members.

The Friends believe public libraries are essential to our society. Public libraries, like public schools, are part of the bedrock that supports American communities. They inform and educate, they encourage the exploration and discussion of ideas, and they bring together people from all walks of life.

The Friends are involved in these core activities:

• The Friends support the Library as it strives to provide outstanding library services to Seattle-area residents. We promote awareness of the Library in the community and encourage use of Library services in our neighborhoods.

• The Friends conduct advocacy efforts on behalf of the Library, as well as fund special Library programs and services. We keep city officials informed of Library needs and were instrumental in ensuring the passage of a major library bond issue that today is transforming our Library system. Recently, the Friends provided funds to begin a cultural communities outreach program based at the Beacon Hill.  Additional programs are under developement for Seattle neighborhood libraries.

• The Friends serve the wider community through our twice-yearly book sales that make available to the public thousands of books, as well as art and music goods, at exceptionally low prices. The book sales are a cultural institution in Seattle and are the preeminent means by which the Friends raise funds for services.

• The Friends host visitors, patrons and out-of-town guests at our FriendShop, located inside and to the right of the Fifth Avenue entrance of Seattle's spectacular new downtown Central Library. All FriendShop profits are used toward enrichment and benefit programs.

The Friends of The Seattle Public Library operate an innovative 300 square foot retail shop in Seattle’s Central Library. The shop is the public face of the Friends and represents our longstanding commitment to serve The Seattle Public Library. Shop revenue supports programs, services, events, and special initiatives of The Seattle Public Library.

Shop hours are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Sundays from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

learn more ..

The Friends of The Seattle Public Library holds two major book sales each year. At each sale, over 200,000 books and other items are offered to the general public, including:

* Art prints and posters
* Audiocassettes
* Books
* Compact discs
* Computer software
* Records
* Sheet music
* Videocassettes and DVDs

Book Sale dates for 2007 are:  April 20-22, 2007 and
September 28-30, 2007

Most books cost $1.00, but the sale also features "better books" including recent releases, and rare and collectible books, which are available at affordable prices even though they are higher priced than the majority of books. The price of other items varies, but all are "good deals."