READING: THE ABCs of helping youngsters achieve literacy--the first skill. : Reading Partners / PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE : Friends of the Library

* Mission: To promote goodwill and support by the community, to stimulate public awareness and to seek out sources of cultural and educational programs for Los Angeles County and city library systems.

The Friends of the Library is an organization of volunteers who work to promote the welfare and growth of the library system. Sixty-eight groups with 5,000 members support Los Angeles County libraries and 75 groups with more than 5,000 members support the city libraries.

Members undertake a series of activities to assist the libraries, such as helping to schedule speakers and performers and recruiting and serving as volunteers.

Fund-raising includes sales of used books to support library activities and to buy books, CDs and videos. Groups also secure grants for expanding and improving libraries.

Individual members have gotten involved with library programs, such as Grandparents and Books, in which grandparents read with children. Members also support legislative action on behalf of the library, sometimes visiting politicians or city council members with updates on the status of the libraries or legislation.

“Friends” have supported libraries nationwide since the 18th century, when citizens groups established and maintained book collections. In California, the organization dates to 1880, when the California Municipal Library Law was enacted. State groups were organized in 1964 to form a single organization, Friends of California Libraries, and today there are more than 500 such groups in California.

* Quote: “They are having a profound impact on supporting and helping the libraries and it’s all community-based. . . . They are tremendous grass-roots advocates for the library.”

--Peter Persic, director of public relations for the Los Angeles Public Library