Friends Gift Shop

The Friends offers a small selection of gift merchandise for purchase, both on-line and in many Saint Paul Public Library branches. All proceeds from the sale of gift merchandise support The Friends and the Saint Paul Public Library.

Gift Sales Items

Minnesota sales tax is included in all gift shop prices. For mail orders, also please include $4 for shipping and handling, and allow 3-4 weeks for delivery. After adding your items to the shopping cart, please click the checkout button here or at the bottom of the page to proceed to the secure checkout.

A Noble Task: The Saint Paul Public Library Celebrates 125! - $40
by Biloine W. Young, Foreword by Patricia Hampl

A Noble Task: The Saint Paul Public Library Celebrates 125 Years!

With more than 200 photos and illustrations, A Noble Task tells the story of the library from the years when it was considered the bastion of the male elite (with separate reading rooms for men and women), to the current organization of 12 branches, a bookmobile and extensive Internet services.

The Saint Paul Public Library has become the people’s university. Students access research on the library’s computers; immigrants check on news from homelands on the other side of the world; Homework Help Centers, staffed with volunteers, assist teens with school assignments; new arrivals study for citizenship tests at the library; and neighborhoods look on their libraries as their community centers.

The value of our library - and all libraries - is summed up by St. Paul native Patricia Hampl in the book's foreword: "The only civic home we can really claim together is here, in our library, the house we've made for books and music, magazines and films, all the ways we tell each other our stories and our news, our discoveries and uncertainties, the beautiful building where we are quiet in order to hear all the noise and news of the wide world beyond us, the great world we think is elsewhere but which beats along our very pulse."

Heart of the Community: The Libraries We Love - $50

Heart of the Community: Libraries We Love

The Saint Paul Public Library's own Saint Anthony Park Branch Library is featured in this prestigious new book - Heart of the Community: The Libraries We Love. This full-color, illustrated book, edited by David Levinson and Karen Christensen, is the first to sing the praises and show the beauty of North America’s beloved public libraries, recognizing that they’re being transformed by new uses—literacy programs, resources for new Americans and English language learners, homework help centers, small business resource centers, cultural programming sites, and much more.

Library notecards - Only $8

A pack of six notecards with matching envelopes are now available. They feature six of Saint Paul's branches: Central, Hamline, Highland, St. Anthony, Merriam and Riverview. These colorful drawings were produced by Friends' former Board Chair and Saint Paul architect, Dick Faricy.

Twelve Branches: Stories from Saint Paul -
Only $8

Order your copy of Twelve Branches: Stories from Saint Paul, published by Coffee House Press in April 2003, and a finalist for a 2004 Minnesota Book Award. The book was written by four professional authors working with community members in the Saint Paul Public Library. The innovative effort, called the Library Book project, was coordinated by The Friends.

Book Bags

These stylish book bags are natural canvas in color and feature the light blue logo and name of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library. They are currently available in three sizes: Large, Medium and Small.

Large - $25
A durable book bag for big loads and long use (measures 22" wide by 15" tall, with 5" gusset
at the bottom, made with heavyweight 15 oz. canvas) silk-screened with the Saint Paul Public Library logo on the front.
See the world through our doors!

Medium - $12 Join the prestigious group carrying The Friends’ classic book bag (measures 15" by 16" by 3", sturdy 10 oz. cotton canvas construction with double snap closures and strong, matching handles), now with an updated and fresh new look!

New! Saturn Brief - $15 Sensible and stylish, the zippered main compartment offers plenty of storage for literature, and the front pocket, with quick-access velcro closure, offers extra space for things like business cards, cell phones and pens. It features an adjustable shoulder strap, tough handles and a clear plastic ID pocket on the back.

Umbrellas - $13

Make a splash with a new Friends' auto-open, compact umbrella. These bright yellow umbrellas are sure to add a festive touch to any rainy day. Fold-down umbrellas span to a wide 42” arc, and are perfect for travel, in the car, and for everyday use. Rainy days are best for reading, but when you have to go out, take your Friends umbrella with you!

Library Logo T-Shirts

What better way to show off your library spirit than with a nifty new t-shirt? Sporting the Llibrary logo in orange and blue, these heavyweight, 100% cotton, black tees shine with spirit and fun.

Central Library and READ Posters

Adorn your walls with these colorful posters. The Central Library poster, designed by Friberg Design, features an historic photo of the Library set in blueprint-inspired background. Suitable for framing, each poster is only $2.

The READ poster, created by 45 Degrees|Minneapolis, features a bright, full color photograph of a girl reading a book superimposed on the Saint Paul Public Library logo. The text of the poster is: READ - See the World Through Our Doors. Suitable for framing, each poster is only $2.

For More Information or to Order by Phone

Please contact The Friends’ office at 651/222-3242, if you would like more information about any of the merchandise, or prefer to order by phone. The Friends office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central time.

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