FLS: Friends of Libraries Section

Our Mission

FLS creates a network to connect and inspire Friends groups
in all types of libraries to support the New York library community.

FLS Commitment to Diversity

The Friends of Libraries Section (FLS) of the New York Library Association embraces and promotes diversity and inclusion in all their forms.
Download the FLS Commitment to Diversity.

FLS Introductory Video

Watch our video! Click the thumbnail. (This will take you to a YouTube page in a new tab.)
 

FLS Current News and Events

NEW at NYLA: Membership Database and Website

*IMPORTANT Information* About FLS Webpages

NYLA is in the process of transitioning to a new membership system, Member Clicks, which also includes a new website. 
The current website is being archived to prepare for the transiition. During this process, it is necessary for FLS to pause adding any new materials, links, and updates to our webpages. We apologize for any inconvenience. If you are unable to locate what you are looking for, please email us at FLS.nyla@yahoo.com. We will assist you as we are able. 

FLS 2023 Annual Membership Meeting

The Annual Membership Meeting of the Friends of Libraries Section (FLS) of the New York Library Association will be held online on November 15, 2023.

Watch this space for the recording of the meeting.

Meeting Agenda

• Welcome and Introduction of the FLS Boards,2022-23 and 2023-24
• Approval of Minutes of the November 16, 2022, Annual Meeting. 
  A draft of the minutes which were reviewed by the FLS Executive Board on December 7, 2022 are available here. Please access the minutes and be prepared to approve them.
• Review of FLS Treasury Balances
• Introduction of the recipient of the 2023 FLS Daniel W. Casey Library Advocacy Award
• Introduction of the 2023 Randall Enos Conference Scholarship recipient
• Review of Annual Report of Section Activities, November 2022 through October 2023
• Installation of the 2023-2024 FLS Board

Thanks to all who attended this important business meeting and recap of our projects and activities during 2023!

Congratulations to Jerrie Grantham, elected to the newly formed position of FLS Councilor, 
becoming the FLS representative to NYLA Council.

Jerrie Grantham is the Volunteer Services Manager at the Queens Public Library (QPL), where she coordinates Friends groups among the many branches of QPL. She is also the Co-Chair for the Marketing and Outreach Committee for President’s Council for Racial Equity at QPL. She was previously a Member At Large on the FLS Executive Board.

Position Statement:
I have had the honor of managing the Friends of Queens Public Library for the past five years. Friends of the Library groups often reflect the best of what our communities have to offer. Friends give their time and talents to help support one of the last true bastions of democracy, the library. Fundraising and planning activities to support the staff and communities our libraries serve is no small feat. I welcome the chance to showcase the best of what the Friends of Libraries Section can do and collaborate with others across the state to ensure the growth of this vital network.

NEW - Introducing the FLS Toolbox!!

FLS will be rolling out thematic toolkits on topics of interest to Friends. The first of these toolkits is now available!

The FLS Toolbox can be found on the Highlights/News tab on any F:LS webpage.

Read or download the FLS Toolkit to Start a Friends of the Library Group as a PDF..

Read or download the FLS Toolkit for Writing Winning Grant Proposals (PDF) 
     This document has been replaced and all links are now functional.

FLS Connections! Making the Most of National Friends of Libraries Week

Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at 4 p.m. via Zoom (registration required)

We’ll discuss “Making the Most of National Friends of Libraries Week” with Jillian Wentworth, Manager of Marketing and Membership for United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association. 

Registration will begin in January. Hope you'll join us.

Read the latest FLS Newsletter

August 2023 (Volume 9 #4)

FLS Friends News and Notes 2023 Conference Centerfold

Volunteer with the Friends of Libraries Section

Fill out an FLS Volunteer Form to get more involved with the Section - there's all kinds of opportunities, large and small.

FLS presents Resource Pages

Resources for Friends Groups Supporting Small and Rural Libraries

In a survey of Friends groups serving small and rural libraries in New York State which was conducted by FLS/NYLA in early 2021, challenges were identified in the areas of Membership (including Active Participation and Volunteer Engagement), Leadership, Diversity, Fundraising, and the Purpose and Mission of Friends organizations.

The members of the FLS Task Force on Friends and Rural Libraries developed potential suggestions and best practices with an emphasis on Friends groups that support small and rural libraries.

See the Resource Page here!

FLS executive board members Lynne Madden and Lisa C. Wemett have presented Beyond Younger Volunteers: Helping Friends Groups Survive and Thrive at both the Small Libraries Summer Symposium at the OWWL Library System (a one-day conference empowering small libraries to improve operations, form partnerships, and meet the changing needs of their communities) in July 2022 and at the NYLA Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs in November 2022.

Their presentation addresses the distinct challenges to Friends groups that support rural and small libraries and introduces the new resource page developed by the FLS Task Force on Friends and Rural Libraries. See more about this program on the FLS Events page in the 2022 NYLA Annual Conference section.

Resources for Library System Friends Councils - coming soon

Access FLS Resource Pages and the FLS Toolbox from the Highlights/News tab on any F:LS webpage.

Membership in FLS

Please consider selecting FLS as your primary section when you join NYLA or renew your NYLA membership.  
It's the Friendly thing to do.  
You may add Sections or Round Tables to your existing NYLA membership.
Click here for step-by-step instructions on adding FLS to your NYLA membership! Thanks in advance for your support!
Click here to complete the Friends Group Organizational Membership - Key Volunteers Information Form to be submitted as part of a Friends Group Organizational Membership.

Would you like to be more involved with FLS? Click here for our Active Member Form.