Friends of the Library
membership & volunteer opportunitiesWelcome to the Friends of the Library!
We are a community of book lovers and library supporters. The Friends of the Hood River County Library supplement and support the critical work of the library staff.
Friends of The Library Officers
President: Nadine Klebba
Vice President: Rebecca Abrams
Secretary: Erma Hickman
Treasurer: Michaela Allbee
Meetings
The Friends of the Library meets the 2nd Monday of the month at 11:00am in the Jean Marie Gaulke Library Meeting Room (except July, August, December). The public is invited to the meeting.
What do we do?
The funds we raise through membership fees, donations and our annual book sale support key library programs such as:
- The Hood River Reads annual event, which provides free books to the community and schools and brings authors of chosen books for community and school programs each spring.
- Summer Reading Programs in Hood River, Parkdale, Cascade Locks, and the Odell Summer School.
- Additional Library funding and support of staff development as needed (see below for recent support we’ve provided).
Friends members also volunteer in the library, covering, processing, and shelving new books; assisting the children’s librarian with craft projects; and organizing adult and children’s programs.
How can I get involved?
The Friends of the Library donations are vital to supporting the operations of the Hood River County Library District. Become a member or volunteer, donate materials for our book sale, or consider a donation to the Pat Hazlehurst Endowment Fund!
For more information contact our President:
Nadine Klebba: 971-803-0959
A huge thank you to all of the members, volunteers, and sponsors that have contributed so much to the library.
Please click to see our special recognition page…
About the Friends
We formed the Friends of the Hood River Library in 1977. Donations, membership fees, and the sale of books fund our efforts. Through the years, the Friends have made large and small contributions to the library, from lamps and footstools to computers and children’s programs.
In 1998 the Friends gave $10,000 in seed money to start the Library Foundation, which raised funds for the library renovation and expansion in 2003, and ran an Early Open Campaign in 2011 that allowed the library to reopen six months early.
We also donated $15,000 toward the Library’s remodel project $5,000 to the new library district board for start-up costs, $1,300 for the young adult collection, and $2,500 for audio books. See more of our recent donations to the library below.
2021-2022 Donations
Thanks to their donors, the Friends gave $15,000 to purchase and fund materials and services in 2021-22:
- $3000 for new audiobooks
- $3,500 for free books for children in underserved areas of our community
- $8,500 to update furniture in the Children’s Library and Teen Area. The new couches and tables will include charging stations.
2020-2021 Donations
In 2020-21, the Friends of the Hood River County Library and
their donors gave over $13,500 to the following library endeavors:
- $8,500 to support the Summer Reading Program
- $5,000 to fund free books for children in Hood River County
2019-2020 Donations
In 2019-20, the Friends of the Hood River County Library and their donors gave over $13,250 to support these great projects:
- $8,500 to support the Summer Reading Program
- $4,750 for new audiobooks
The Friends of the Library and other individuals also gave over 1,070 volunteer hours to the library doing everything from processing new materials to shelving to helping staff manage the collections. They go through literally thousands of book and other donations to put into the library collections, sell to raise funds, or distribute to helps items find new homes.
