The Friends of the Kirkwood Public Library was officially founded in 1978 as a separate entity from the library with 501c3 status. For the first eighteen years of its existence the organization had modest goals and a ‘below the radar’ presence in the Library. In 1996 the Friends started what is now the BOOKS & BEYOND shop. Thanks to the leadership of many dynamic individuals the organization grew to reflect our community’s strong support for our local library. This is evidenced in the more than a million dollars that the Friends have raised for the Library, in the support the Friends provided for the successful 2007 tax issue that allowed for the Library building renovations, and in the Friends’ activities that offered a way for all those who wanted to feel a part of the Library to do so through their gifts of time and money.
By 2017, the administrative responsibilities of operating the organization could not be maintained. As a result, the Friends board voted to dissolve as a separate entity, passing on administrative duties to library administration.
While no longer a unique organization, library volunteers still assist in nearly the same capacity as they did in the past. And we are ever appreciative of their support.
