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Friends of the Lafayette Library tell council they raised $135,000 from bookshop sales in 2025
Summary
Volunteers from the Friends of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center told the Lafayette City Council they priced 48,000 donated books, sold almost 39,000 and raised over $135,000 in 2025; the group said it typically donates about $100,000 a year to the library and outlined programs including a lecture series and an author night.
At a Lafayette City Council meeting, Cherry Sprag, president of the Friends of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, told council members the volunteer-run Friends Corner Bookshop is the organization’s primary fundraiser and supports library programs, collections and services.
"Our mission is to support programs, collections, and services of the library," Sprag said, introducing the group's leaders and volunteers and describing the shop’s location and volunteer operations. Sprag invited city officials to hear about the Friends’ activities, noting the presentation would be informal and without a slideshow.
Cass Kasanoff, the Friends’ immediate past president, presented detailed 2025 figures: volunteers priced about 48,000 donated books, the shop sold almost 39,000 books and raised more than $135,000 from book sales. "Every year we donate around $100,000 to the library," Kasanoff said, adding that the group expanded its retail operations and digitized inventory during the pandemic and now accepts credit and mobile payments.
Kasanoff said the bookshop is staffed entirely by volunteers, is open about 45 hours a week, and relies on regular half-price sales and ongoing donations to keep an inventory of roughly 20,000 titles. He credited a volunteer data effort and a small team who price donations for helping the Friends operate a volunteer-run retail operation that sustains program funding.
Ellen Wrenches, coordinator of the Friends’ "WOW" (Wonders of the World) lecture series, described that program as a monthly, free lecture series running October through May that draws primarily older adults from Contra Costa and adjacent Alameda County. Wrenches said typical events draw 75–150 attendees and that an upcoming Monet-in-Venice lecture had 175 registered and 20 on a waiting list. She said the Friends underwrite speaker fees and rental costs for the series, which totals roughly $3,500 a year.
Wrenches also described Sweet Thursday, the Friends’ author event held on the third Thursday of the month in the Don Tatson Community Hall. Sweet Thursday opens at 6:30 p.m. for refreshments and begins at 7 p.m.; the program includes on-site sales by Orinda Books and volunteer-run hospitality, and organizers said attendance has grown to near-capacity on many nights.
Kasanoff closed the presentation by describing the Friends’ annual bookmark design contest, which draws about 500 entries from Lafayette schools (transcript: TK–8) and local parochial schools. Winners receive recognition, gift certificates to local booksellers and framing for their designs; the Friends maintain an honor roll for repeat winners.
The mayor and council thanked the presenters; city staff reported there were no public comments on this item. The presentation concluded without a formal vote or directive.
