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The Friends of the Beverly Hills Public Library is a nonprofit organization founded to help maintain the Library's tradition of service to the community. The Friends raise funds to supplement, enhance and enrich the Library's collections and programs.

Everyone is encouraged to visit the interesting and appealing Friends' Book Shop in the Library to search for a specific book or just to browse (click here for bookstore hours). The Book Shop continues to thrive thanks to an army of wonderful volunteers. The inventory includes new books, used books, collector's books, out-of-print books and other books of interest. The Friends are grateful for the donations of books from our community and the many customers who patronize the stores.

The Friends also welcome new volunteers. Call (310) 288-2286 for bookstore information, to donate new or used books, or to volunteer.

The Friends also fund the literacy activites at the Library and fill in gaps in the general collection. The children's collection and programs funded by the Friends continue to be a source of great pride for the Library. Over 1000 children participate in the Summer Reading Club.

The Friends are also responsible for preserving local history by sponsoring a program in the Reference Division that puts aging local newspapers on CD-ROM.

Another way to contribute to the Friends is through the Tribute Fund. As the holiday season approaches, a unique gift for a friend or relative would be to donate a minimum of $35 to the Tribute Fund to have a book inscribed in his or her honor. A child's teacher might appreciate a donation to the Tribute Fund as a thoughtful remembrance and a way of adding to the Library's book collection. A donation to the Tribute Fund is also a thoughtful way to honor someone's memory.

The Friends of the Library encourage everyone to become a Friend or renew membership. The Beverly Hills Public Library is unique, and the only way it can stay that way is through the efforts of people who are committed to the value of the Library to our community. That is why the Friends was established. The Friends are especially proud of the Library's fine arts collection, which the Friends began and have added to over the years. Many materials in this area were donated by the Friends. The Beverly Hills Public Library is one of the few public libraries to have catalogues raisonnes available for its patrons.

Currently the Friends hope to enlarge their Major Gifts and Endowments Fund. The Friends have five funds that have been endowed to provide a continued source of funds for the Library. General David Henley, the Chernoff family, Betty Harris, Dorathi Bock Pierre and the Cheeryble Foundation, and others, have generously donated funds to establish named collections. The Friends hope that other members of our community will also establish special collections to be perpetuated through endowed funds. A special collection can involve any area of the Library or any subject in which the donor is particularly interested. Members of the Major Gifts and Endowments Committee would be pleased to speak with anyone interested in making a donation.

If you are not one of the 1700 to 2000 people who visit the Library daily, the Friends invite you to come in. The Friends are proud to have contributed to making it the wonderful place that it is. The Friends also would like to send a big thank you to the community for its support of the Library.


Last updated November 3, 2008
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This site developed and maintained by Allen J. Kwawer