Fact Sheet: 75 Years of Library Support

Overview

Founded in 1950, the Friends of the Oakland Public Library (”the Friends”) is an independent nonprofit organization that raises funds and advocates for Oakland’s public libraries. As part of their fundraising activities, the Friends have owned and operated The Bookmark Bookstore in downtown Oakland since 1992. The Bookmark accepts donations of gently-used books and media to sell to the public, and is largely run by 200+ volunteers. All proceeds support the Oakland Public Library (OPL). The vast majority of OPL’s budget comes from Oakland’s general fund and parcel tax measures, but the Friends play a crucial role in supplementing public funding with community-driven resources and advocacy. For a detailed history of the Friends, visit our blog.

Mission: To advance the role of the Oakland Public Library as a vital community resource and as an institution critical to the culture, education, and welfare of Oakland’s diverse community.

Recent Impact

• The Friends awarded $260K in Annual Grants and $155K in Special Project grants to the library on September 3, 2025. 

• In September 2024, the Friends approved $250K in Annual Grants to the OPL for programs and improvements including:

  • The innovative Oakland Youth Poet Laureate program, which celebrates literacy through poetry and connects young writers (ages 13-18) to far-reaching opportunities.

  • Facility Enhancements, such as new plants for library gardens, a bike rack, and specialty furniture. 

  • Seeds for OPL Seed Libraries, which promote community resilience, self-reliance, and a culture of sharing through gardening.

  • The Bike Fix project, which provides bike repairs and instruction on basic maintenance at two libraries in East Oakland.

  • Engaging Community Programs for all ages: gardening workshops, digital literacy classes, film screenings, arts and crafts programs, fix-it clinics, author events, yoga instruction, musical performances, science workshops, and more. One example is the Cell Phone Fix-It Clinic at The Elmhurst Branch Library, which hosted a popular service where more than 50 people received free or low-cost phone repairs—helping many who couldn’t otherwise afford it, including one patron who recovered treasured photos of a deceased family member.

• $88K to provide afterschool art workshops by teaching artists with the Museum of Children’s Art (MOCHA) in 11 high-priority neighborhood libraries in 2024-25.

• Library Advocacy – the Friends joined other library advocates to support Oakland Measure C, a parcel tax to fund libraries which was approved by 82% of voters in 2022.

Fun Facts on The Bookmark Bookstore

• The Bookmark is located at 933 Broadway. Its 1880s building -- on the corner of Broadway and 10th Street -- is convenient to BART and many bus lines. 

• When moving to this location in 2024, the Friends installed beautiful wooden shelving from Mills College along with other gently used and donated supplies. 

• In early 2025, the Bookmark accepted the donation of an enormous cookbook collection: approximately 10,000 volumes. If you stacked these books on top of one another, they would rise to the height of San Francisco’s Salesforce Tower (1,070 ft).

• The Bookmark sells rare and valuable donations via eBay and Amazon. Recent sales include: 

  • The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, 14-book set for $600

  • The History of San Francisco by John Sherzer Hittell,1878 for $275

  • Capital Theory and the Rate of Return by Robert Solow, 1963 for $300

• The Bookmark hosts recurring monthly events: mahjong (first Sundays of each month), Free Children’s book giveaways which provide each child 12 and under with one free book (second Sundays), and member sales (every third Saturday and Sunday.) 

By The Numbers: 

• The Friends have granted more than $4.5 million to the OPL since 1993. 

• Friends raise funds through a mix of memberships, book sales, and donations. Friends also generate revenue through Bookshop.org,tribute gifts, bequests, and employer matching gifts.

• Membership has grown to an all-time high of 1,400 today, with a strong 50–75% renewal rate.

• Today, the Bookmark has more than 200 volunteers. 

• More than 35 members now give at the $1,000+ Book Angel level compared to one in 2000.

• The Bookmark Bookstore continues to thrive, with expanded hours, staff, volunteers, and higher sales in its new location on Broadway. 

Leadership

The Friends are led by an all-volunteer board of directors and supported by a network of enthusiastic volunteers who run the Bookmark, manage the membership program, and strengthen advocacy efforts.

Timeline of Milestones

1950 – Friends of the Oakland Public Library was founded. As its first project, the Friends helped to establish the California Room (later the Oakland History Center) in the new Main Library at 125 14th Street and to acquire first editions of Call of the Wild and White Fang by Jack London. 

1992 – The Bookmark Bookstore opened in Old Oakland.

1994 – Friends volunteers helped pass Measure O, a parcel tax to extend library hours.

2004 – Supported Measure Q, reauthorizing critical funding.

2011 – Helped raise funds for the construction of the 81st Avenue Branch Library.

2018 – Supported Measure D, preserving and expanding library services.

2020 – The Bookmark weathered COVID-19 through online sales, grants, and volunteer support. The Friends joined Bookshop.org (https://bookshop.org/shop/theBookmarkBookstore), an alternative option for purchasing new books and a continuing source of revenue for the Bookmark.

2022 – Advocated for Measure C, winning 82% voter approval to ensure sustainable library funding.

2024 – The Friends moved the Bookmark to a larger space at 933 Broadway in an historic 1880s building. In November of that year, the store extended its hours of operation to 7 days a week. 

2025 – Friends of the OPL celebrates 75 years of supporting Oakland’s public libraries.

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