Thanks to the nearly 100 of you who took time out of a beautiful weekend morning to tune in to MALF’s fall Friends forum, Saturday Splash. All corners of the state were well represented via videoconference – and we had additional registrants from as far away as Virginia and Hawaii!

How should a Friends board of directors prioritize its limited time and precious funds? How should a board approach the discussion of sensitive topics? How should board peers hold each other accountable? Propel for Nonprofits covered these and many other important “shoulds” at yesterday’s webinar, Effective Board Decision-Making.

MALF wants to hear what you’ve been up to, and our annual Evy Nordley Award is the perfect mechanism for you to share! Any Friends-supported project is eligible for consideration, provided that (1) project implementation began after January 1, 2025; and (2) either the Friends or their Minnesota library was the primary beneficiary. Top prize is $1,000.

The Friends of the Library are unique among charities for our stalwart support of libraries. In most other respects, however, we’re a lot like all Minnesota nonprofits – regardless of their mission bent. With that in mind, MALF’s next two member webinars shine the spotlight on “nonprofit fundamentals” important to our organizations’ health. Please join us live for: "Twelve Golden Rules of Nonprofit Finance" and "Empowering Effective Board Decision-Making."

It’s not too late to form a New Years Resolution for 2026. We’re quite biased, of course, but would argue that redoubling our commitment to Friends of the Library work is a particularly worthy goal! If you’re interested in taking up that challenge and “leveling up” your library knowledge and Friends skills, look no further than the suite of e-resources available to all Minnesotans via United for Libraries.

ICYMI: Last month, MALF presented our annual "Warm Reads For Cold Nights: Minnesota Authors Recommend" webinar. If you missed the live event but still need help with your holiday gift list (or want recommendations for your own holiday break reading list), the archived program is available for replay here.

Congratulations to Friends of the Moorhead Public Library, winners of the 2025 Evy Nordley Award for ‘Best Project by Friends of the Library.’ They won top prize earlier this month for Bookmarked! A Celebration of the Arts. Bookmarked! was a fundraiser – but also so much more. It evolved from separate, Friends-led conversations with Zoltar (a tattoo parlor) and Swing Barrel (a craft brew staple in downtown Moorhead).

Thanks to the many Friends who joined MALF last weekend for Saturday Splash 2025. We matched that tremendous turnout with an equally tremendous slate of speakers. Missed out? You can now replay the full morning of programming on our YouTube channel...

For our final webinar of 2025, MALF is excited to announce the return of a fan favorite event. MALF’s programming team first piloted Warm Reads For Cold Nights back in 2022. It’s returned each year since to coincide with the holiday shopping season.

Did you know? Library staff, trustees, and Friends of the Library across Minnesota enjoy free access to a host of online resources and (always timely) live virtual programming through United for Libraries. State Library Services, a division of the Minnesota Dept. of Education, recently purchased statewide access to this portfolio of assets maintained by the arm of the American Library Association most closely aligned to Friends of the Library work. Upcoming opportunities include:

While Friends, staff and trustees all advance their library's overarching mission, each does so from their own "lane." MALF’s next webinar will overview those lanes, as well as best practices to help ensure a healthy and sustainable working relationship. Please join us over the lunch hour (12-1 p.m. Central) on Wednesday, July 23 for Different Roles, Shared Goals.

ICYMI: MALF’s next lunchtime webinar is tomorrow, March 26. Join us – and fellow Friends from across the state – for “Read All About It: The Minnesota Book Awards.” Discussion will be led by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, the long-time organizational stewards of this important program.