Friends of the Oak Lawn Library

Founded in 1978, The Friends of the Oak Lawn Library is a nonprofit organization of volunteers who promote use of the Library, furnish equipment and materials that are beyond the Library’s budget and bring opportunities for cultural enrichment to area residents.

Who We Are
The Friends of the Oak Lawn Library are a dedicated group of local residents with a desire to make connections in and give back to the Oak Lawn community. We do this by operating the Friends Bookstore, which raises monies to help fund public programming, materials, subscriptions, equipment and furnishings that are not funded by the Library’s general budget. The Friends Bookstore is stocked completely by donated items from our community members and library books removed from circulation.

In the past, we have funded the attractive new book carts, the Digital Media Lab in the Computer Center, furniture for the second floor Book Club Nook, and a mobile shelving unit for the record album collection in Audio Visual. Why don’t you join us and show your support of the Oak Lawn Public Library?

Membership
Would you like to join us? More than 300 patrons from Oak Lawn and surrounding communities are active members of the Friends of the Oak Lawn Library. Our annual membership dues are $5 for an individual and $8 for a family (w/spouse & children under age 18). If you live outside Oak Lawn, the option to receive the Library newsletter by mail is available for an additional fee of $5 per year. Please complete the application available at first floor Customer Services Desk.

The Friends are always looking for new ideas and new members! Please attend one of our monthly meetings and consider joining the Board to make connections; suggest an idea for an upcoming day trip; give your input about funding a project within the Library; or learn first-hand about Library happenings and events. The Friends Board meets on the first Thursday of most months at 1pm in the Mary Nelson Room. (No Board meeting in June and September.)

Friends Bookstore
The Friends Bookstore is open for business during all Library hours. Stop by to peruse a vast selection of thousands of items at bargain prices: Hardcover books (50 cents); paperbacks (25 cents). At any given time, there may also be DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, magazines, record albums and other media, price as marked. The Bookstore is located on the first floor of the Library. Shelves are restocked daily. To sustain this successful endeavor, the Friends need volunteers to sort donations and restock the Bookstore. One four-hour shift per week is required. Volunteer forms are available on the first floor at the kiosk in the Bookstore.

Bookstore Donations
The Friends are looking for donations of gently used books, magazines, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, puzzles, games and record albums. The drop-off area is on the counter at the Cook Ave. entrance, and donors may fill out a form at the first floor Customer Services Desk to receive a tax letter acknowledgement by mail.

Benefits of Friends Membership:

• Membership mailings twice a year
• Invitation to the Friends Annual Meeting
• Sponsors these free events and much more: Friends Discussion Groups, Movies & Concerts
• Social contacts with fellow Library supporters
• A way to give back to your Library and help fund programs, events, equipment, supplies and furniture for the whole community to enjoy

To become a member, complete an application form available at the Customer Services desk in the Library lobby, then mail the completed form with your check or drop off at the front desk.

Friends Movies, Concerts & Discussion Groups
The Friends provide the funding for movie screenings each month and Sunday concerts from October through May in the Library Meeting Rooms. You will enjoy our broad selection of popular movies, and concerts featuring entertainers from all over the Chicagoland area. Look for our “Movies & Concerts” brochure located in the slatwall holders in the Library lobby.

The Friends also host a Short Story Discussion Group and a Book Discussion Group that meet each month from September through May in the Mary Nelson Room of the Library. New participants are always welcome.