Friends of the Flagler County Library

Message from the President
Sandra Rose Friedman

In 1993 we saw that the Flagler County Public Library was beginning to be too small for the needs of our growing community.

We launched a campaign with buttons for everyone to wear
"FLAGLER COUNTY NEEDS A NEW LARGER PUBLIC LIBRARY!"

I wore my button until the very day we had a ground breaking ceremony in October, 1998.

We now have a wonderful 30,000 sq. ft. building to take care of the public's library needs for the near future. We are very proud and grateful to all the fine people who made this possible.

See Library History

What Friends Do The primary purpose of the Friends organization is to be of service to the library and the community. As a service organization each Friends group must meet the needs of the community. Needs can range from fund -raising to lobbying local and state officials , providing programs for the children's story hour, sponsoring Meet the Author programs. We are an organization of some 1,100 members whose main purpose is support of the library.

The Friends and the library director work together to attain the same service goals.

Funds are raised through sustaining memberships, matching grants, book sales and a book shoppe open to the public whenever the library is open.

Enhancements for the library are provided with these funds. Children's programs, Florida Humanities programs, additions to the library collection, Oral History Project, Flagler Reads Together, and book festivals are supported.
We have begun an endowment fund, the interest from which we hope to use for scholarships for library staff members. Attendance at seminars and library conferences are also paid for by the Friends. We purchase much of the needed special equipment for the library and children's department.

Each Friend is a walking, talking public relations ambassador for the library .An organized Friends group is essentially validation of the library's importance to its community.

The success of the Flagler County Public Library has been achieved with the help of the Friends of the Library of Flagler County. This group has contributed enormously to the enhancement of library services and worked to promote the use of the library by the community, and it has been instrumental in raising the awareness of the public, the County Commissioners and the Legislators at the State level to the need for a new larger library. The Friends provide funding for many important programs and services beyond those that the library budget can provide.

Our Latest activities and pictures

Our gazebo and "buy a brick" project - buy a brick program

See what friends of the library do - typical activities

"From the Stacks" our latest Newsletter

Membership campaign - Be a Friend

Bylaws of the Friends of the Library of Flagler County Inc.