A Q&A with Jessica Parker!

Attention library lovers! We are thrilled to announce our new Development Director, Jessica Louise Parker, who joined us in September. With over 10 years of experience in fundraising at mission-driven organizations like Chabot Space & Science Center and The Exploratorium, Jessica brings a wealth of expertise to our team. Get to know her better by reading our Q&A:
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Libraries are such unique spaces that serve everyone. How do you see them playing a special role in San Francisco, and what excites you most about working with Friends and SFPL?
For a progressive city in a sustained cycle of reinvention, one constant is that San Francisco’s public libraries continue to welcome everyone. They are one of the last bastions of free, publicly accessible spaces that require nothing of visitors to participate and provide a multitude of community programs, literacy and lifelong learning opportunities, and access to technology. Friends of the San Francisco Public Library supports inclusivity and bridging the technological divide in our community through boldly increasing library access and awareness throughout the city. I am proud to be a philanthropic advocate for our vital work at Friends and to help ensure that libraries remain at the heart of our city communities for generations to come.

As SFPL undergoes major projects like the Mission and Chinatown branch renovations, what is one project or goal you are most eager to dive into in your new role?
Both capital-intensive projects currently need broader community support and can transform the entire neighborhood. When we give to important institutions like the library, we telegraph to the world what we value and prioritize. As a fundraiser, I am excited to welcome new supporting members to our giving community and potentially bolster these branches into the most vibrant, captivating, and accessible learning epicenters in the Bay Area.


As a mom of two young kids, libraries are probably a big part of your family life! How does your family enjoy the Library, and do you have any favorite programs or memories you would like to share?
My oldest is eight years old and obsessed with Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey and is currently devouring Roald Dahl’s The BFG. My youngest is five years old and loves listening to the Frog and Toad books by Arnold Lobel and George and Martha: The Complete Stories of Two Best Friends by James Marshall. Reading aloud to both boys as part of our nighttime routine, is my favorite part of the day: I love having these peaceful moments where our collective imaginations can quietly soar into the make-believe worlds of beloved stories and treasured characters.