Friends of the Library are people like you who believe in and support the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.
Upcoming Book Sale
36th Annual Downtown Sale
Main Library
800 Vine Street
Monday, June 2, 9 am - 9 pm
Tuesday, June 3, 9 am - 9 pm
Wednesday, June 4, 9 am - 9 pm
Thursday, June 5 - 9 am - 6 pm
Friday, June 6, 9 am - 3 pm
Friday will be Bag Day. Purchase a shopping bag and everything you can get into it is free!
See Book Sales for more information.
Friends of the Public Library…Celebrating 50 Years
Founding members Eugene S. Duffield, Cornelius Hauck, Mrs. Stanley M. Rowe, Jr., and Joseph S. Stern, Jr. sent invitations to a group of “public-spirited citizens, actively interested in the Library.” The original goals of The Friends were to interpret the Library to the community, to give or obtain books and other materials which could not be included in the Library’s operating budget, to encourage bequests and to provide interesting programs available at no cost to all citizens. The goals remain the same today, though now are restated as “making worlds of information and knowledge accessible to the communities served by the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.” Membership in The Friends of the Library numbers over 2000 in 2006 and continues to represent the Library in the community and vice versa. The primary geographic region served by The Friends is Hamilton County, Ohio. However, Alaska, California, Georgia, Michigan, Texas, and Washington are represented on the membership rolls. Visitors to our website check in from Germany, Netherlands, Canada, Australia and Italy. We can boast that our used book shoppers hail from around the corner and around the world!
The Friends of the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the Library make information and knowledge accessible to the communities it serves. The Friends purchases special library materials and equipment, and sponsors numerous programs throughout the year. Funds are generated by memberships, book and shop sales, and gifts and grants. Fifty Years of Friends, by Bob Vitz, “documents the journey of a fledgling organization that started in 1957 and has evolved into a dedicated group of civic-minded individuals determined to make a difference in the community on behalf of the Library that they cherish and love.”