Each year, The Friends provides vital support to the Saint Paul Public Library. Gifts and contributions from individuals, businesses and foundations - at all levels - are critical to providing additional resources for both on-going and special projects at the Saint Paul Public Library.

In recent years, through the generosity of donors and members, The Friends have supported a wide array of projects and activities at the Library, including:

• the purchase of many thousands of new books and materials
• a new system-wide computer network and hundreds of new
  computers
• hundreds of cultural and literary programs
  
• a summer reading program serving more than 72,000 children
  and teens
  
• the development of homework centers
• Live Homework Help™ from tutor.com
  
• expanded small business resource centers
  
• outreach efforts to various Saint Paul communities
  
• staff training and enrichment
  
• renovations of Central Library and a number of branch libraries
  
• volunteer recognition events

The Friends works to assure adequate public funding of the Library, but private support is increasingly important in improving the services and resources of the Saint Paul Public Library. Ranging from membership and individual contributions to memorials and planned gifts, The Friends offers a variety of opportunities for everyone to support the Saint Paul Public Library. Please consider a gift or contribution today.

For more information on any of The Friends' giving opportunities, please contact The Friends at 651/222-3242 or select any of the options at left.

The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library Receives Coveted 4-Star Review from Charity Navigator

December 1, 2007 - As the nonprofit sector continues to grow at an unprecedented pace, savvy donors are demanding more accountability, transparency and quantifiable results from the charities they choose to support with their hard- earned dollars. In this competitive philanthropic marketplace, Charity Navigator, America's premier charity evaluator, highlights the fine work of efficient charities such as The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, and provides donors with essential information needed to give them greater confidence in the charitable choices they make.

Based on the most recent financial information available, Charity Navigator has calculated a new rating for your organization. We are proud to announce The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library has earned our 4-star rating for its ability to efficiently manage and grow its finances. Less than a quarter of the charities we evaluate have received our highest rating, indicating that The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library outperforms the majority of nonprofits in America with respect to fiscal responsibility. This "exceptional" designation from Charity Navigator differentiates The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library from its peers and demonstrates to the public it is worthy of their trust.

The New York Times, NPR and The Chronicle of Philanthropy, among others, have profiled and celebrated our unique method of applying data-driven analysis to the charitable sector. We evaluate ten times more charities than our nearest competitor and currently attract more visitors to our website than all other charity rating groups combined, thus making us the leading charity evaluator in America. Our irrefutable data shows that users of our site gave more than they planned to before viewing our findings, and in fact, last year Charity Navigator visitors gave over $3 billion in charitable gifts.