National Friends of Libraries Week 2026

Where would we be without our friends! October 18-24, 2026 is National Friends of Libraries Week and we want to highlight just a few of the many, many ways that our Friends support the Oakland Public Library and its patrons across the city.

Almost every branch of the Oakland Public Library has its own Friends group that works with our librarians to support programs and services that directly benefit the specific neighborhoods that each branch serves.

Branch by Branch

The Tooligans (Friends of the Oakland Tool Lending Library) recently bought outdoor umbrellas for shelter from sun and rain for Tool Lending Library staff and patrons. The purchase was funded by the Tooligans' hugely successful tool sales held twice a month on the Temescal Branch lawn. Read more about it in the Rockridge Voice.

The Friends-Stewards of the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (FSAAMLO) hosts an annual internship to help students learn about and participate in archival work.

The Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL) funded the popular Meet the Author series which featured local Bay Area authors. They also helped the Rockridge Branch get air conditioning installed in the staff are so that its less likely the branch would have to close due to excessively hot weather. For the Rockridge's recent 30th anniversary celebration, the FORL had a poster designed and wrote an article for the Rockridge Voice promoting the anniversary, too.

The West Oakland Friends Library (WOLF) supports A Taste of West, a program that bring fresh, reduced price produce to the West Oakland Branch while demonstrating nutritious recipes.

The Friends of Hoover-Durant Public Library (FOHDPL) has dedicated years to advocating the return of library services to the Hoover-Durant neighborhood. Working together, the City of Oakland, the Oakland Public Library, and FOHDPL has conducted a feasibility study to identify the needs of the community and are hopeful about what comes next!

This is not an extensive list at all! Scroll to the bottom for a list of links to each OPL Branch's Friends group. 

Systemwide

The Friends of the Oakland Public Library (FOPL) supports every Oakland Public Library location with funding for programs, facility improvements, film licensing for public movie screenings, seeds for OPL seed libraries, and parts and supplies for The Bike Fix. They provide extra funding for AAMLO and branches in high-priority neighborhoods. FOPL also supports the library’s work by funding promotional items, staff t-shirts, special training programs, outreach supplies, and more. This summer, FOPL purchased the branded tote bag that every participant received for completing the 2026 Summer Reading program! Even this is a small list of all that the Friends of the Oakland Public Library does for OPL.

FOPL raises these funds by selling used books and physical media at the Bookmark Bookstore, located at 933 Broadway. They also accept donation and offer a membership program which provides discounts at the Bookmark and access to their quarterly newsletter. Learn more about FOPL at www.fopl.org, opens a new window. 

Friends groups help in more ways than we could possibly list all in one place. It's amazing to see what neighbors and friends can do together for the community. 

Want to get involved or stay updated? Here are the websites or social media accounts of all the active Friends of OPL Branches and the central Friends group for the whole Oakland Public Library system.

• Friends of the Oakland Public Library (FOPL)
• Oakland history Center Friends
• Friends-Stewards of the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (FSAAMLO)
• Friends of the Dimond Library
• Friends of the Rockridge Library (FORL)
• Friends of the Elmhurst Library (FOEL)
• Friends of the Montclair Library
• Friends of the Golden Gate Library
• Friends of the Piedmont Ave. Library (Friends of PAL)
• Friends of the Martin Luther King Jr. Branch
• Tooligans (Friends of Oakland Tool Lending Library)
• West Oakland Library Friends (WOLF)
• Friends of the Hoover Durant Public Library (FOHDPL)

Contact FOPL or your local Branch's Friends group to learn more. If you don't see a Friends groups listed here, please contact the librarian at that branch and ask how you can get involved.