FRIENDS GROUP DONATES $70,000 TO KEY WEST PUBLIC LIBRARY BRANCH

​KEY WEST, FL – The Monroe County Board of County Commissioners recognized and thanked the Friends of the Key West Library for their more than 50 years of commitment to education, information, and culture in Key West and the Florida Keys and its $70,000 donation to the Key West Public Library Branch.
 
The Friends of the Key West Library was established in 1972 to support the Monroe County Public Library’s first location at 700 Fleming Street in Key West. Since then, they have supported the library and the community by raising funds and volunteering to provide better programs and services for the people of Key West and all Monroe County Public Library cardholders. More than 40 percent of Key West residents have a library card.
 
“Florida Keys residents benefit all year from the generosity and hard work of our Friends of the Library groups,” said Kimberly Matthews, Senior Director of Strategic Planning and Libraries. “This donation helps us bring more materials and programs to the public, ultimately improving their quality of life.”
 
The Friends group finds new ways to raise funds for the library each year through membership, used book sales, an annual gala, grants, and more. They also support cultural programming such as the speaker series, concerts, film screenings, and other events that are free and accessible to the community.
 
This year, the Friends contributed a record $70,000 that will go toward purchasing print and eBooks, programming supplies that benefit adults and children, staff development, and more.