Friends Of The St Paul Public Library

Advocacy. In 2024, friends advocacy efforts contributed to an increased allocation of $175,000 toward spending on sppl library collections in the city of saint paul's 2025 library budget. Advocacy also contributed to an additional city investment of $500,000 toward the transforming libraries capital projects. The friends invited supporters to contact their city councilmembers to advocate for these priorities, and hundreds of people responded, contributing to these successful outcomes.

Programming. The friends continued our signature programs and events in 2024 with a mix of in person, virtual, and hybrid programming. As minnesota's center for the book, a library of congress designation, we presented 39 programs and events and welcomed thousands of participants from across the state to the minnesota book awards, one book | one minnesota, and moving words: writers across minnesota, among other programs. We accepted 306 submissions to the book awards from minnesota writers. Our library strategies consulting group worked with 20 clients in 12 states, assisting library systems and foundations with their own strategic planning, fundraising, and project management activities.