Consisting of volunteers, Friends of the Library is an asset to Minot Public Library through its ability to provide supplies, equipment and program support through its fundraising efforts. Its mission is to focus public attention on the library, stimulate use of the library’s resources and encourage monetary gifts to the library and support the freedom to read. Its motto is “Great friends make great libraries.”

Friends of the Library’s main fundraiser is the sale of books and materials being retired by the Minot Public Library or donated by members of the public, who can drop off items at the library or at a book sale.

People will bring donations in and walk out with new books all the time,” said Dave Leite, president of the Friends of the Library Board.

The sales feature not just traditional books but also magazines, books on CD, DVDs, computer games and puzzles.

Janelle Krueger, left, and Mary Heit with Friends of the Library volunteer at a shift at the Thursday, July 10, public book sale.

Leite said since the organization stopped pricing materials in favor of taking donations, proceeds have increased, averaging about $1,000 a day during a sale. Leite said the organization has gone to more frequent, shorter sales, now hosting book sales about once a month.

The next book sale is Thursday, Aug. 14, from 9 a.m.-7:30 p.m. at Minot Public Library.

Friends of the Library members have opportunities to volunteer with special projects or programs at the library and can volunteer to sort and shelve sale items and cover the worker shifts on sale days. They also get exclusive access to a pre-sale before the public event. People can join by coming to a pre-sale or sale and signing up or picking up applications at the front desks in the children’s and main libraries.

Memberships are $10 a year for individuals, $15 a year for a family or $100 for a lifetime membership. Currently, the organization has 71 annual members and 65 lifetime members, Leite said.

In addition to fundraising through book sales, Friends of the Library has received grants and other donations from foundations, service clubs and businesses that are used to support Minot Public Library.

A major donor, the Glenn Perkins Educational Foundation has provided $20,000 a year for about the past five years, Leite said.

According to the North Dakota Library Association, Glenn Perkins was a modest and frugal farmer from Ray, who enjoyed libraries. He set up a plan to ensure libraries in northwestern North Dakota were supported long-term after his passing.

Leite said the foundation also provides grants beyond the annual allocation for special projects. The remodeling project on the children’s library benefitted from one of those grants.

A recent grant from the Aggie Foundation through Friends of the Library will help the library put on a fall event, Literacy in the Field, on Saturday, Sept. 20, from 5-7 p.m. on Edison Elementary’s football field, or in the school in event of inclement weather.

“The Friends are very helpful to us as we are able to do so much more because we have them,” said interim library director Joshua Pikka. He cited both large projects, such as the digitalization of The Minot Daily News archives, and small items, such as prizes for children’s activities, that were made possible because of Friends of the Library.

“Beyond the financial part of it, just having people who support us and people who are excited to help others is really cool for a library, and it does make it great to know there are people who want to help us,” Pikka said.

Leite said the board for the Friends of the Library receives and considers requests from the library.

“Generally, we fund whatever they want because it’s always good stuff,” he said. “That’s why this board is real fun.”

He added the organization has been fortunate to have enough money to largely respond to all the library requests.

“One that we’re real proud of this year is the story walk we built. Brought in all the new kiosks, and that was a large amount of money,” Leite said. The Story Stroll consists of a series of storyboard kiosks along a trail in Oak Park.

Other projects benefitting from Friends of the Library assistance have included an electronic billboard outside the library, furniture and wall art in the children’s library and sponsorship of a poetry contest.

In 2024, Friends of the Library gifted $68,294 to the library for programs, additional newspaper digitization, LEGO robotics team sponsorship, books and audiobooks and equipment and software.

“We don’t want to be a replacement for their budgeting, but if they have a new idea for some program, we’ll get involved and help support that,” Leite said. If a program works out well, the library often will then add it to its regular budget.

“We like to support the reading programs they have for all ages now,” Leite said. “That’s important to get people reading in any way you can.”

Another way Friends of the Library does that is by supporting a monthly handout that patrons can pick up and read about upcoming books and reviews.

It also has pop-up libraries around town, including at the Amtrak Depot and senior living facilities, that are stocked with books for people to read for free. Leite invites any businesses interested in hosting a pop-up site, consisting of a box of books, to sign up with Friends of the Library.