MALF is pleased to announce that our popular Friends of the Library “mini-conference” is returning for 2024. Mark your calendars Saturday, October 5 for MALF’s fifth annual SATURDAY SPLASH. Why do we call this event Saturday Splash (aside from the obvious fact that it’s always held on a Saturday)? It’s because our half-day itinerary will include a splash of this, and a splash of that! As the connecting thread, every program module will celebrate Friends' work or offer value learning opportunities to further that work.

Congratulations to this year’s Minnesota Book Award winners! If you missed the celebration back on May 7, you can read up on the 2024 honorees via the Star Tribune or Pioneer Press. Better yet: You can watch the archived simulcast of the live event on the YouTube channel of the host organization, The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library.

We asked – you answered! Over the past year, MALF has polled our members and webinar attendees with a simple question: What should MALF’s programming focus on next? Several issues rose to the fore, but topping that list is interest in a webinar or workshop centered around a truly classic fundraising strategy: Friends of the Library auctions. Our programming committee is now hard at work coordinating such a program...

The American Library Association is scheduled to hold its annual conference in sunny San Diego from June 27 – July 2. Every summer, this library mega-conference draws thousands of library staff, trustees, school media specialists, and fans of library work to the host city for a week chock-full of educational opportunities and a star-studded line up of keynote speakers...

If giving campaigns are something you’ve struggled with in the past – or not even begun to explore – take a look at Library Giving Day. Brainchild of the Seattle Public Library Foundation, this one-day giving “holiday” is devoted solely to library causes and coincides with National Library Week. Last year, more than 500 organizations from across the country took part!

Next month (April 3-5), thousands of library staff and leaders will congregate in Columbus, Ohio for the biennial Public Library Association (PLA) conference. PLA is often hailed as the pre-eminent professional development opportunity for the field of public librarianship. While the conference is open to supporters like Friends, in-person participation is cost prohibitive for most volunteers. Fortunately for us, virtual tickets are also on offer!

April brings with it one of the best opportunities all year round to celebrate and promote our public libraries. National Library Week, coordinated by the American Library Association, runs April 7-13, 2024. Each year brings a distinct thematic focus. For this, the 66th iteration of National Library Week, that theme is "Ready, Set, Library." Highlights within National Library Week include National Library Workers Day (April 9) and Take Action for Libraries Day (April 11).

Last year, Friends of the Library elsewhere in the country coordinated programs running a wide gamut: from readathons and spelling bees, to cooking demos and fashion shows, and even charity 5ks and relay races! We know for a fact that Friends here in Minnesota have not been idle, either. Our annual Evy Nordley Award for Best Project is the perfect way to learn about and share your group highlights from 2023.

In our decades of work with Friends, MALF’s board has picked up on an interesting disconnect. Most volunteer-run groups are fortunate to boast at least a few “standout” members – movers and shakers whose dedication, creativity and boundless energy help the organization overcome obstacles and adapt to meet new needs. What is lacking, in contrast, are good opportunities to acknowledge these outstanding contributors.

Friends of the Library across the country have found great success coordinating author-centered fundraisers. Minnesota is a hotbed for such events. MALF’s first webinar of 2024 will showcase three standout author programs coordinated by Friends across our state. We hope you will join us over the lunch hour on Tuesday, January 23 to hear about...

William Lambert is well known to regulars at the Kasson Public Library, and so is his trusty GMC Sierra 1500 pickup. Both are central to the success of the Friends of Kasson Public Library’s biannual book sales. “Will manages the sales from start to finish – planning, scheduling, and staffing,” shared group treasurer John Talcott.

Friends of the Library across the country have found great success coordinating author-centered fundraisers. Minnesota is a hotbed for such events! MALF’s first webinar of 2024 will showcase three standout author programs coordinated by Friends across our state.