156 Friends. $23,590 raised. Nine projects supported. Here’s what members, volunteers, donors, and neighbors made possible in 2024.
01 · The People
The Friends Behind It
156 members stood behind the library in 2024, as recorded in that year's minutes. Membership is the steady base every book sale and grant is built on.
02 · What They Raised
Volunteers Made It Possible
The semiannual sales and the ongoing shelf are run entirely by volunteers. Reserves ended the year at $37,585 — the cushion that lets the Friends give even in lean years.
Where 2024 income came from
Raised and granted, by year
03 · What It Bought
What the Friends Funded in 2024
The projects below came to $20,669, of which $16,132 was granted straight to the library; the rest supported programs, appreciation, and community projects. More than $113,900 granted to the library since 2017.
03b · One Program, Up Close
Summer Reading in 2024
Adventure Begins at Your Library
Summer Reading moved to River Park for a kickoff featuring StoryUp! Aerial Theater, where more than 250 people gathered for an aerial performance under the trees. Over the season, readers logged 850,843 minutes, while programs ranged from live animals and a Hogwarts escape room to intergenerational storytime.
The Library in 2024
The Friends help pay for part of what happens here. These are the library’s own filed figures for how much it was used, set against the year before.
Compared with 2023. North Carolina public library statistics filed by Orange County. Explore library statistics →
In Their Words
"The Friends’ support provides nourishment to turn our librarians’ bright ideas into flourishing resources for the community. The value of service and volunteer help by the Friends contributes to the thriving growth of the Orange County Main Library."
– Nancy Crews, Branch ManagerThank you all for your support! We couldn't do this without you!
OCPL librarianThank you for all you do to support us!
OCPL librarian15 years of newsletters in the archive, going back to 2011.
Browse the archiveNone of this happens without you. Thank you for being a Friend.
