Friends of Sunnyvale Public Library report steady fundraising, pledge $500,000 toward Lakewood branch

Shauna C. Dunkley, supervising librarian for adult services and liaison to the Friends of the Sunnyvale Public Library, told the Board of Library Trustees on March 3 that the volunteer group continues to be a major source of program and capital support for Sunnyvale Public Library.

Dunkley said the Friends were formed on June 9, 1965, and currently list 217 members, including more than 100 life members. She reported 24 regular volunteers who work in the library year-round and an additional roughly 120 volunteers who staff bimonthly book sales.

“Their book sales garner about $30,000 per year,” Dunkley said, adding that lobby sales have “almost hit $50,000” in the past year. She told trustees that the Friends use proceeds to fund library programs, licenses for public movie screenings, a set of Chromebooks for hands-on classes, sewing machines for the Library of Things, lending hot spots, and reimbursement of up to $500 for residents who want to install Little Free Libraries in their neighborhoods.

Dunkley also said the Friends have pledged $500,000 toward furniture, fixtures and equipment for the Lakewood Branch Library and additional contributions to make the new building more flexible, including a movable partition for meeting spaces.

Board members asked about the source of items sold in the Friends’ sales, volunteer sorting practices and whether the Friends resell valuable items online. Dunkley said donations come first to the library, which reviews them for possible inclusion in the collection; items not added to the collection may be passed to the Friends for sale. She confirmed experienced volunteer sorters determine which items are sent to Amazon, eBay, the lobby sale or bimonthly book sales.

Dunkley described program support the Friends provided in 2024: funding copies for multiple book groups, start-up funds for a Spanish-language book group, support for monthly bike-repair workshops in the plaza, and funding for the summer reading program. She said the summer 2024 reading program drew 3,352 participants and the winter reading program that finished in January drew 1,653 participants.

The presentation drew questions about the Friends’ status as a nonprofit; Dunkley confirmed they are a 501(c)(3). Board members also asked about Friends coordination with other library friends groups; Dunkley said groups routinely share best practices and sometimes have members who belong to multiple friends organizations.

The Board did not take formal action on the Friends presentation; the report was presented for information.

Ending: Trustees thanked Dunkley and the Friends for their volunteer work and financial support ahead of additional questions later in the meeting about the Lakewood branch project.