Annual Membership Levels
| Basic | $25-49 | Join or Renew Now |
| Contributor | $50-99 | Join or Renew Now |
| Advocate | $100-249 | Join or Renew Now |
| Sponsor | $250-499 | Join or Renew Now |
| Patron | $500-999 | Join or Renew Now |
| Benefactor | $1,000 and above | Join or Renew Now |
Membership in The Friends brings many rewards, including the knowledge that your gift makes a real difference to our public library.
What Do The Friends Do?
- We advocate for strong public funding of the Library
- We provide private funding for special Library programs, enriching and enhancing Library services
- We work to increase the use of the Library through public awareness and cultural programming
Through this work, The Friends serves as a national model for its unique, comprehensive support of the Saint Paul Public Library.
Why Become a Friend?
- The Saint Paul Public Library stands at the forefront of our nation’s public libraries. Thanks to strong community support, our Library has beautiful new buildings, enhanced collections, advanced technology, and an expert staff engaged in vigorous public outreach and service.
- The Saint Paul Public Library had 2,916,759 visitors last year, checking out 3,442,777 items. Your annual membership and involvement help to sustain this record of excellence.
- As a member of The Friends, your voice will be heard on Library issues – and together our voices become louder as our membership grows.
Member Benefits:
Basic level ($25 - $49)
- Friendly Connections, our member newsletter, keeping you updated on Friends’ activities, Library programs, and other happenings.
- Events and Classes - the Library’s bi-monthly program calendar - mailed directly to your home.
- Special discounts at local, independent bookstores, at Park Square Theatre shows and Rose Ensemble concerts, as well as other one-time special discounted offers. Currently, the following discounts and special offers are offered to Friends members:
- Minnesota Book Awards – $5 discount per ticket to the annual Awards Gala.
- Micawbers Books – 20% off coupon for a one-time purchase, sent with membership card. (Visit www.micawbers.com or call 651-646-5506)
- Common Good Books – 10% off coupon for a one-time purchase, sent with membership card. (Visit www.commongoodbooks.com or call 651-225-8989)
- Park Square Theatre - $5 off ticket purchase or ½ price preview tickets. Mention that you are a Friends member when ordering. Additional discount offers with participation in theater discussion programs at the Library. Special offer not available with website purchases. (Visit www.parksquaretheatre.org or call 651-291-7005)
- The Red Balloon Bookshop – 15% off coupon for a one-time purchase, sent with membership card beginning August 15. (Visit www.redballoonbookshop.com or call 651-224-8320)
- Rain Taxi Review of Books – 10% off a one-year subscription to the Twin Cities’ award-winning quarterly literary review. To subscribe, send a check or money order for $13.50 to Rain Taxi, P.O. Box 3840, Minneapolis, MN 55403 and mention you are a Friends member. (Visit www.raintaxi.com)
- The Rose Ensemble – Free ticket upgrade with purchase. Mention that you are a Friends member when ordering. Special offer not available with website purchases. (Visit www.roseensemble.org or call 651-225-4340)
- The University of Minnesota Bookstore at Coffman Memorial Union – 20% off coupon for your entire purchase of U of M campus fashions, novelties and general books, sent with membership card. (Visit www.bookstore.umn.edu or call 612-625-6000)
- Advance notice of Friends and Library events.
- The sense of fulfillment that comes with supporting an important and vital community institution.
Contributor level ($50 - $99)
- all of the above benefits, plus:
- $10 gift card at The Bibelot Shops
- listing in our annual report (optional)
Advocate level ($100 - $499)
- all of the Basic and Contributor level benefits, plus:
- one free gift item (see list below)
Patron level ($500 - $999)
- all of the Basic, Contributor and Advocate level benefits, plus:
- an invitation to our annual Donor Society author luncheon.
Benefactor level ($1,000 and above)
- all membership level benefits, plus:
- an exclusive, private event with the Library Director and The Friends’ Board Chair
Membership Premium Gift Items
At the Advocate membership level and above, choose from the following Friends-branded gift items, while supplies last. Visit our Gift Items page for additional details about these and all our premium offerings. (Gifts will reduce the tax-deductibility of your donation)
- Rainy days are best for reading, but when you have to go out, take your auto-open, compact umbrella with you! (value: $13)
- Black pocket jotter made of scuba material with integrated business card pockets, includes 3" x 4" writing pad and twist-retractable pen. (value: $7)
- Go green with our reusable and tear-resistant high-tech tote! Roomy: 14” x 16” x 8” and folds to compact size, with snap closure. (value: $5)
- Super-bright, compact LED book light with rotating head and base for easy use, or clip it on your book as you read. (value: $5)
- Friends Rock! So says our 100% cotton T-shirt, in rebus format. Has small Friends logo on back in "locker patch" position. (value: $15)
OFFER EXTENDED THROUGH LEAP DAY!
A Great Gift for Booklovers and Lifelong Learners - A Friends Membership
Purchase or Renew Gift Membership Now
Searching for the perfect gift for the bibliophile who has everything? Give them a Friends membership! They’ll value your appreciation of their interests, and you will be supporting your Library at the same time. You can give a Friends gift membership at any level. The recipient of your gift will receive all of the benefits of Friends membership, plus a card notifying them of your gift.
Special Offer: Purchase a Gift Membership at $50 or above and the recipient of your gift will receive all the benefits of membership, plus a card notifying them of your gift, and a bonus gift: a 2012 Saint Paul Almanac!
The 2012 Saint Paul Almanac—an indispensable guide book to Minnesota’s capital city and Saint Paul’s unique and eclectic community storytelling hub of record!
This year, the 396-page, 180+ photo Saint Paul Almanac is
available in full color for the first time and—another first—includes gorgeous,
hand-drawn, poster-size, pull-out maps of the City of Saint Paul and Downtown!
The unparalleled Saint Paul City Guide offers up-to-date listings for art galleries, bookstores, museums, libraries, historical sites, parks and nature preserves, bars and restaurants, coffee houses and tea shops, deli grocers and food co-ops, and music, dance, theater and performing arts venues. The Calendar—which includes a handy datebook where you can write your appointments and notes—includes listings for Saint Paul’s festivals, parades, exhibitions, and events. Both the City Guide and Calendar have companion online versions available at www.saintpaulalmanac.com.
The Saint Paul Almanac is a literary campfire around which the diverse Saint Paul community gathers to share its stories. An experiment in democratic publishing, the Almanac brought together a multigenerational team of 18 volunteer community editors to blind-select from 400 submissions the 129 stories, poems, and recipes chosen to appear in this latest edition.
Every story has a unique individual voice which, when combined with other stories in the Saint Paul Almanac, becomes a chorus encompassing all the energy of Saint Paul today. High school students’ work appears alongside writing by grandparents, and first-time writers appear next to Saint Paul literary greats such as Garrison Keillor and Max Shulman.
The 2012 Almanac includes stories about telepathic monkeys at the Como golf course, visiting the Pig’s Eye Island city dump, how the Skyline Towers got the name Titanic Tower, and wildlife on the West Side. Also included are portraits of Saint Paul people by “Media Mike” Hazard; classic Saint Paul stories selected by Patrick Coleman, Steve Trimble, and Anura Si-Asar; and a reflection by Joe Nathan on how Saint Paulite Bill Wilson has influenced the city.
The 2012 Almanac also features poems by Martin Devaney, Katrina Vandenburg, J. Otis Powell!, Garrison Keillor, Phebe Hanson, Saymoukda Vongsay, Jim Moore, David Vu, Chia Lor, Sharon M. Day, Patricia Kirkpatrick, Carol Connolly, Ethna McKiernan, John Minczeski, Elena Cisneros, Jill Breckenridge, Diego Vázquez, Greg Watson, Mary Kay Rummel, Patricia Cummings, Evelyn Klein, Linda Back McKay—and more!
The 2012 Saint Paul Almanac is a reliable companion for the endless exploration of new delights in our beautiful city, and a wonderful gift—packed full of thoughtfulness that will keep on counting all through the year!
The gift membership level will be determined by the amount you enter on the payment screen. Please give the recipient's information under the shipping address so we may send them the membership packet and FREE GIFT.
Sustaining Friends
Becoming a Sustaining Member is a way to put more of your dollars into supporting the Library you love. As a Sustaining Member, you will help to save postage, paper and administrative costs and invest more into the library resources you value.
It's convenient. Your contribution is deducted automatically from the account of your choice (until you tell us to stop) which means no reminders from us. So, we spend less of your contribution on postage and paper. Plus, all the benefits that come with being a member remain yours to enjoy.
It's powerful. By eliminating administrative expenses, more of your contribution goes into library materials and programs.
It's enduring. Spreading your support over time is easier on your budget. Plus it gives The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library the security of a steady, reliable stream of support. You'll feel good knowing that you’re continuing to support the library’s vital service to our community.
Become a Sustaining Member
- Choose the amount that you want to contribute every month.
- Decide which credit card you want to use.
- Call the Friends office at 651-222-3242 to have our staff set up your sustaining membership.
It’s that easy. If your life changes, you can choose to increase, decrease or suspend your monthly gift. All you have to do is call us at 651-222-3242 or send us an email.
Sustaining Member Benefits
- Guaranteed uninterrupted Member status
- The satisfaction of providing continuous support for the Saint Paul Public Library
- Saving the environment by helping us cut back on using paper
- The opportunity to select a special, members-only thank-you gift
Your contribution will appear on your credit card statement as "Network For Good" but we will send you an official receipt for income tax purposes, as well.
For More Information
Please contact us at friends@thefriends.org or call 651-222-3242 if you'd like more details about Friends membership.
