The Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library are celebrating a very special week October 18-24! The American Library Association has designated this week National Friends of the Library Week, in recognition of what Friends groups do all over the nation to support their libraries.
Did you know:
- The Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library raised $167,000 last year (2019-2020) and delivered it as a direct grant to the Thousand Oaks Library?
- The Friends of the Library pay for the maintenance of the very popular library aquarium; a cost of $10,4000 a year?
- The Friends of the Library completely underwrite the cost of the Summer Reading Club—materials, programs, prizes? In 2019, the Summer Reading Club drew over 5500 participants.
- The Friends of the Library pay for the One City, One Book program in its entirety—programs, materials, marketing costs, and speaker fees?
- The Friends of the Library pay for literacy efforts such as Read TO Succeed and the early childhood literacy computers in the library?
- The Friends of the Library underwrite the “Virtual Library”—e-books, databases, online resources such as Kanopy and Rosetta Stone—allowing patrons to continue access to materials during the shutdown and beyond?
There’s so much more we would like you to know about the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library! And we need you to help us continue our mission of making sure the library has the budget it needs to remain the premier library in the area, serving the community in so many ways. Find out how you can join, volunteer, and donate at ftol.org, and please follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
And Happy National Friends of the Library Week!