Friends of the Cleveland Public Library
325 Superior Avenue Cleveland, Ohio  44114
Phone Number: 216.623.2821      Fax Number: 216.623.2883
email: friends@cpl.org        
Mary Scelsi, Director
Tom Feczkanin, Associate

JOIN_v1.pdf
MAIL_ORDER_v1.pdf
newsltr_fall07.pdf
SCHOL_v1.pdf
VOL_v1.pdf

FRIENDS OF THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY MISSION STATEMENT
The Friends of the Cleveland Public Library is a 501 (c) (3) organization organized and incorporated in 1957 to stimulate community support of the Library through an organized group that could assist the Library in its goal of serving the public; to increase the number of citizens who understand the Library’s facilities and needs that are not attainable through operating funds; to stimulate the cause of books and reading in the Cleveland area through appropriate programs and activities; and to help in suitable ways to enable the Library to maintain its position as an outstanding library.

2007 – 2008 Friends of the Cleveland Public Library Board of Trustees and Staff Amy McMaken, President Allison Wallace, Vice President Willie Maddox, Treasurer Mike Kelly, Secretary Robert F. Pincus, Past President Pam Blake Tracy L. Conn Lute Harmon, Sr. Kathleen Havener Lauren McDowell John M. Moss

Mary Scelsi, Director
Tom Feczkanin, Associate

BRIEF HISTORY of the
FRIENDS OF THE CLEVELAND PUBLIC LIBRARY

The first meeting of the Trustees of the Friends of the Cleveland Public Library was held in the Director's office at Main Library on Wednesday, May 29, 1957. On the agenda that day was discussion of a Library Bond Issue for the purchase of the Plain Dealer Building. This was considered as a first project of the Friends' group, to endorse the Bond Issue, to grant funds to help defray costs of a bond issue campaign and to speak before groups for the Bond Issue.

Through the years, the Friends have funded projects such as the 125th Anniversary History, the public art project and purchase of The Pig Bank located on the 2nd floor of the Louis Stokes Wing, rare books for the Special Collections of the Library and levy campaigns. Today, the Friends fund the Summer and Winter Reading Club programs, Children’s Book Week activities, Writer’s & Reader’s Series, and branch and department programming. Since 1991, four $1,000 Eugenia Thornton scholarships are awarded to Library staff, Library staff dependent, graduating senior in the Cleveland School District and a Friends member. Projects are reviewed and selected yearly by the Friends Board of Trustees.

Sources of income are: Memberships, The Library Gift Shop, Book Sales in the Louis Stokes Wing and selected Library Branches, and a yearly fundraiser. Since 1976, the Friends have worked continuously on increasing membership and now have over 2,600 members. The Library Gift Shop is located on the 1st floor of the Louis Stokes Wing and is staffed by dedicated volunteers. Over the last several years, Book sales have been expanded to include three sales in the Louis Stokes Wing and several sales in branches. The newest activity since 2000, is a yearly fundraiser at the Library, to increase not only funds, but to raise awareness of the Library and its Special Collections.

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