​On Friday, Feb. 23, Luis Herrera retired as City Librarian. During his 13 years serving San Francisco, he championed massive change in the library system and was a beacon of inspiration for librarians and library lovers alike. Luis may have packed up his office, but he remains staunchly passionate about continuing to make an exceptional difference at the San Francisco Public Library. And guess what? You can too, by contributing to the Luis Herrera Latino/Hispanic Interest Collection.

Looking at what Luis has accomplished can put into context how effective this new fund can be. In 2012, Luis was named Library Journal’s Librarian of the Year, and a few years after that was nominated by President Barack Obama to serve on the board of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. As a member of the Board of Trustees of the Latino Community Foundation, he was a champion in the Latino community nationally.

We remember Luis as one of San Francisco’s most influential City Librarians, and his amazing work for our City has garnered national attention. The branch capital improvement projects, led by Luis, transformed neighborhood libraries into community beacons. Fast forward to present day, and every library is open seven days a week; a national model of service for all urban libraries.

Now is your chance to contribute to a special collection beloved by Luis. The Luis Herrera Latino/Hispanic Interest Collection helps to bridge gaps in the library’s selections, making new and important Spanish language content available throughout the system. The collection also funds programming catering to Latino communities and aims to bring more people into our libraries.

​Help us continue his great legacy through contributing to this special opportunity. Visit friendssfpl.org for more information.

From community connections to children’s literacy, our SFPL far transcends books. The San Francisco Public Library is a beacon for so much good in San Francisco. From homeless services, immigration help, author readings, craft and performance programs and unrestricted internet access, the library is a free space that empowers every member of our society with tools to learn and engage the community around them. No matter the socioeconomic background, every person in San Francisco is a part of the library. Whether it’s participating in library services, or supporting the voter-approved Library Preservation Fund, the library is part of our identity. Board member Sarah Jones said it best in a recent speech at the 2019 Library Laureates fundraiser, “It’s not the library, it’s our library.” Friends is an integral part of making sure the library is fully equipped to take on its important work. While the city covers the library’s staffing and operational costs, private donations allow Friends to pay for expenses that fall outside of the city’s capacity and to more quickly respond to needs. Support include fees for subcontracted service providers; honorariums for authors, artists and curators; collections acquisition; equipment; program supplies; food; multilingual materials; and professional training to keep SFPL librarians on the leading edge of innovation. By supporting Friends, you can see the direct impact you are having on the 2018 Library of the Year. The partnership between Friends, the Library, and you is the reason our library is so successful and nationally recognized as a beacon of inclusivity in our community

Friends provides over $1 million in direct support to the San Francisco Public Library. While the city covers the Library’s staffing and operational costs, private donations allow Friends to fund expenses that fall outside of the city’s capacity and to quickly respond to needs. Support includes fees for subcontracted service providers; honorariums for authors, artists and curators; collections acquisition; equipment; program supplies; food; multilingual materials production; and professional training to keep librarians on the leading edge of innovation. Friends’ support is spread throughout:

​Additionally, we work in tandem with SFPL on key signature community partnerships, including Summer Stride, One City One Book, the Effie Lee Morris Children’s Literature Lecture Series, Connect with Tech Week, the James Hormel LGBTQIA Endowment, the Wiley Innovation Fund, and the Lisa Brown and Daniel Handler Writer’s Residency. 

​Library Laureates 2019 celebration. Top right: Ingrid Rojas Contreras, Elaine Castillo, Thi Bui and Marie Ciepiela. Lower left: Daniel Handler and Dave Eggers.