Accessibility Statement

Who Are We…

The Friends of Whittier Public Library was founded in 1964 to support and enhance the quality of services and facilities of the Whittier Public Library.

Our goals (which we are yearly meeting) are to provide financial supplementation for services and material for which public funds are not available, to sponsor programming, and to advocate for the Library.

We pay for the lion’s share of the Summer Reading Club expenses and every year the Summer Reading Club draws thousands of children.

Our Bookstore Mission

Friends of the Whittier Public Library is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt, not-for-profit, charitable organization. We exist to support and advocate for the Whittier Public Library.

We raise money for the library system by selling books, music, and movies at our bookstore; selling books at the two libraries; and running a monthly (more or less) silent auction of collectible books at Central Library. The generosity of the community allows us to fund the library’s reading programs for children and tweens.

Everything we sell has been donated, everyone who works for the Friends is a volunteer, and everything we make—apart from modest but necessary expenses like electricity and phones—is given to the library.

We also periodically donate books to school libraries, Meals on Wheels, and other charitable groups in the Whittier area.

Special Dedication

The Children’s Librarian Bonnie Weber has retired after decades of service with running the children’s program. She has been instrumental in the amazing summer programs we have had for our children. Her love, her dedication, and her fantastic imagination is sorely going to be missed.

We hereby dedicate the About Us page to you, Bonnie, and are happy that you still are available, even if not on a permanent basis.