60+ Years of Friends

Friends of the San Francisco Public Library is a diverse community that loves our San Francisco Public Library and works to make it exceptional. Our mission is to strengthen, support and advocate for a premier public library system in San Francisco.

Advocates,
Investors, & Champions

Advocates

Friends fought for decades to ensure stable Library funding and asked the voters to create the Library Preservation Fund in 1994. The LPF has resulted in a 174% increase in the SFPL’s budget and powered its evolution into a nationally-recognized urban public library.

Investors

Friends has raised $24 million for Library programs and services and $45 million to support construction and renovation of the Main Library and 24 neighborhood branches. It continues to provide over $1 million in direct annual support every year.

Champions

Friends champions the public library as a democratic institution founded on the values of equity, inclusion and free access to resources and opportunity for everyone.

Friends impact

Annual Support For Library Programs and Services

Friends has invested $24 million in Library programs and services, with continued annual commitments of over $1 million.

In 2019-2020 (leading up to and during COVID) Friends support covered a wide array of existing and unanticipated needs.

$143,000 for COVID-related health and safety equipment enabling the SFPL to open both SFPL To Go curbside services followed by reopening of branches for in-person services
Summer Stride reading and STEM program for kids and adults
Grants to branches for neighborhood-specific cultural, arts, and wellness activities
Collections and community programs related to the affinity centers at the Main (The Bridge Jobs & Careers and Veteran Service Centers, and the Hormel LGBTQIA, African American, Latino Hispanic, Chinese American, Filipino and Stegner Centers)
The Mix at Main teen media center
One City One Book program
Enhanced marketing of Library programs and services, including At the Library
Professional development training for Library staff

The Legacy

of the Library Preservation Fund

The SFPL is the most well-funded and secure library system in the United States because of Friends and the Library Preservation Fund built this legacy.

The LPF is the voter-approved funding formula that makes up 92% of the SFPL operating budget through the combination of an allocation from the General Fund and a transfer of .25/$1,000 from property taxes. In 1994, Friends launched an ambitious ballot proposition (Prop E) earmarking funds through this formula for 15 years to ensure consistent, designated funding for the Library. The proposition passed with overwhelming voter support of 71% and again in 2007 with 74%.

The LPF expanded the SFPL budget by 174% over 30 years, stabilizing and empowering the Library to increase free educational programs, book collections, technology and WIFI —and to maintain a responsive neighborhood branch system where virtually every resident is a short distance from a Library.

Friends
Impact
library infrastructure

Since 1990, Friends has contributed $45 million for furniture, fixtures, and equipment (FF&E) in every single Library renovation and construction project in the City.

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