Love your Library?
Show your support!
Join The Friends.

Who Are The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library?

Started in 1945, the Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library is a nonprofit, community membership organization dedicated to supporting the Saint Paul Public Library. Our members are advocates for a strong Library. We believe that ours is the best and most-used Library system of its size in the country, and that it deserves an engaged organization that represents the community’s interests on Library issues.

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library has an active board of directors, vital civic and corporate partners, more than 3,000 members, and we’re growing our numbers each year. We are proud that our group has been honored by Friends of Libraries USA as one of the nation’s premier Friends organizations.

Your membership in The Friends helps to strengthen the Saint Paul Public Library and ensure the continued improvement of Library services. The Friends support a wide variety of Library initiatives, including:

Purchase of thousands of new books for the Library’s collection
Innovative children’s reading programs
Community outreach projects
Award-winning literary and cultural events
Advocacy for strong public support of the Library

Membership in The Friends brings many rewards, including the knowledge that your gift makes a real difference to our public library.

Renew Your Membership or Purchase a Gift Membership

Online Form (pay online with credit card, bank check card, electronic check or your Paypal account -- see below.)
Request Membership Form (e-mail request)

What Do The Friends Do?

We advocate for strong public funding of the Library
We provide private funding for special Library programs, enriching and enhancing Library services
We work to increase the use of the Library through public awareness and cultural programming

Through this work, The Friends serves as a national model for its unique, comprehensive support of the Saint Paul Public Library.

Why Become A Friend?

The Saint Paul Public Library stands at the forefront of our nation’s public libraries. Thanks to strong community support, our Library has beautiful new buildings, enhanced collections, advanced technology, and an expert staff engaged in vigorous public outreach and service.
The Saint Paul Public Library had nearly 3 million visitors last year, checking out 8,000 items per day. Your Friends’ annual membership and involvement help to sustain this record of excellence.
As a member of The Friends, your voice will be heard on Library issues – and together our voices become louder as our membership grows.

As a Friend, You Will Receive:

Friendly Connections, our quarterly newsletter, keeping you updated on Friends’ activities, Library programs, and other happenings.
Events and Classes - the Library’s bi-monthly program calendar -mailed directly to your home.
Advance notice of Friends and Library events.
Special discounts at local, independent bookstores, and at Park Square Theatre shows and Rose Ensemble concerts, as well as other one-time special discounted offers. Currently, the following discounts and special offers are offered to Friends members:
- Bibelot Shops – $10 gift card (at the $50 membership level and above), sent with membership card. (Visit www.bibelotshops.com)
- Micawbers Books – 20% off coupon for a one-time purchase, sent with membership card. (Visit www.micawbers.com or call 651-646-5506)
- Park Square Theatre - $5 off ticket purchase or ½ price preview tickets. Mention that you are a Friends member when making purchase. Special offer not available with website purchases. Additional discount offers with participation in theater discussion programs at the Library. (Visit www.parksquaretheatre.org or call 651-291-7005)
- Red Balloon Bookshop – 20% off coupon for a one-time purchase, sent with membership card beginning August 15. (Visit www.redballoonbookshop.com or call 651-224-8320)
- Rain Taxi Review of Books – 10% off a one-year subscription to the Twin Cities’ award-winning quarterly literary review. To subscribe, send a check or money order for $13.50 and mention you are a Friends member to Rain Taxi, P.O. Box 3840, Minneapolis, MN 55403. (Visit www.raintaxi.com)
- The Rose Ensemble – Ticket upgrade for better seats with ticket purchase. Mention that you are a Friends member when making ticket purchase. Special offer not available with website purchases. (Visit www.roseensemble.org or call 651-225-4340)
The sense of fulfillment that comes with supporting an important and vital community institution.

Members who join or renew on-line at the Contributor level ($50 and above) receive all of the above benefits, plus listing in our annual report (optional).

Members and contributors at the Benefactor level ($1,000 and above) receive all of the above benefits, as well as an invitation to our very special, annual Donor Society author luncheon.

Annual Membership Levels

	Basic	$25-49
	Contributor	$50-99
	Advocate	$100-249
	Sponsor	$250-499
	Patron	$500-999
	Benefactor	$1,000 and above

A Great Gift for Booklovers - A Friends Membership!

Searching for the perfect gift for the bibliophile who has everything? Give them a Friends membership! They’ll value your appreciation of their interests, and you will be supporting your Library at the same time. You can give a Friends gift membership at any level. The recipient of your gift will receive all of the benefits of Friends membership, plus a handsome card notifying them of your gift.

The gift membership level will be determined by the amount you enter on the payment screen. Please give the recipient's information under the shipping address so we may send them a membership packet.

For More Information

Please contact us at friends@thefriends.org or call 651-222-3242 if you'd like more details about Friends membership.

Love your Library? Show your support! Join The Friends.