Hermosa Beach Friends Of The Library

Hbfol operates three bookstoresa 575-sqft community bookstore, a shop inside the hermosa beach public library, and an online storeeach stocked entirely from our community donations. Thousands of gently loved books, puzzles, cds, and dvds are sold at affordable prices (under $1 in our physical stores), with the commitment that every patron leave with a book. In 2024, bookstore sales grew through expanded hours, a nationwide online presence, and strong community support, with more than 44,000 donated materials processed and organized by volunteers for resale or redistribution. These donations also powered our book readcycle program, launched in 2024, which redistributed over 2,900 books to schools, teachers, nonprofits, and community partners across southern ca. Together, our bookstores and readcycle advance literacy and sustainability, turning every donation into a resource for learning and connection and furthering our mission to support literacy and education.

Hbfol strengthens hermosa beachs civic and cultural life by supporting local events, nonprofits, and community partners with donations, supplies, and hundreds of hours of volunteer service. In 2024, our volunteers staffed community traditions including the st. Patricks day parade, fiesta hermosa, and oktoberfest, supporting these essential community events. Each month, hbfol volunteers assembled 50 brown-bag lunches for the homeless through the kiwanis neighbor-to-neighbor community program. In addition, we partnered with more than two dozen organizations - including rotary, kiwanis, leadership hermosa beach, the hermosa beach museum, south bay friends foundation, sister cities, the womens club, local schools, and city partners for events such as trunk or treat and mobile voting day - providing time, resources, and volunteer support to celebrate hermosa beachs culture and foster a more connected community.

Hbfol expands access to books and fosters community connection by growing the local network of little free libraries, part of a worldwide movement of more than 200,000 miniature book exchanges. In 2024, we installed three new custom-built libraries and kept a dozen more restocked weekly with handpicked, donated books. We also partnered with the hermosa beach and redondo beach rotary through their books over bullets program to place books in little free libraries in underserved communities to increase book access. These neighborhood book exchanges help build lasting reading habits, strengthen community ties, and give donated books new life in the hands of eager readers. Hbfols vision is to install 125 little free libraries by hermosa beachs 125th anniversary in 2032, turning every corner into a celebration of stories, connection, and the spirit of the best little bookish beach city.

Hbfol preserves hermosa beachs literary and cultural history through both physical and digital archives. In 2024, we safeguarded more than 65 years of newsletters, photographs, and community records, digitizing many to transform a rich historical collection into an accessible, living timeline. We also began new efforts to restore and preserve rare historical treasures and collections, ensuring they can be preserved, appreciated, and shared for generations to come. This program advances our mission by supporting education and community.