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Friends of the Library Association – Organized March 1949

In the beginning

The 1973 history of the Friends of the Library (above) records the beginnings of the group.

Due to the enthusiastic efforts of Zonta Club, the Friends of the Library of Orlando came into being in 1949. The Winter Park-Orlando Zonta Club sponsored the organization under the leadership of the late Miss Joy Hawley, President, and Mrs. Eve Bacon, Chairman of the Library Committee.

Dr. Marshall Dendy, then minister of the First Presbyterian Church, presided as chairman of the organizational meeting on the evening of February 28, 1949. Over two hundred people attended and elected as their first officers: Mrs. Ruth McCullough Maguire, President; Judge Victor Hutchins, Vice President; Mrs. Elayne Williams, Secretary; and Mr. D. P. Sias, Treasurer.

Mrs. Ruth Gilbert Smith, chairman of the Public Relations Committee, edited the first Friends Newsletter that came out in April 1949. Miss Mary Wherrette, a talented artist, illustrated the newsletter for years… President Ruth Maguire sent out this message in the first newsletter: “The first Board of the Friends of the Library pledges its efforts toward promoting the friendship which the Zonta Club has solicited. It plans to move slowly and carefully, but to progress steadily.”

In the news


ABOVE: L-R Dr. Marshall C. Dendy, Clara Wendell.

The first organizational meeting, reported in the February 27th edition of the Sunday Sentinel Star, was held on February 28, 1949 at the Albertson Public Library.

A newspaper clipping, published in the Orlando Morning Sentinel on March 3, 1949, announced the election of Mrs. Ruth McCullough Maguire as president of the newly organized Friends of the Library Association, sponsored by the Winter Park – Orlando Zonta Club.

The Orange County Bookmobile

In 1949, the Sorosis Club spearheaded a drive to raise $6,000 to purchase a bookmobile to serve outlying residents. Members of Sorosis and Friends of the Library, many of whom were Sorosis members, sponsored a local bill in the State Legislature in the spring of 1949 authorizing the County Commissioners to appropriate $10,000 needed to operate the bookmobile. With the passing of the bill, the bookmobile began serving the people of Orange County on December 1, 1949.

In 1953, the Friends of the Library, always seeking ways to improve the library’s services to residents, initiated a delivery service for shut ins.

In 1956, a small bookmobile dubbed the “Traveling Branch” was donated to the library from an anonymous member of the Friends of the Library. The 1957 Annual Report touted it as the most important single new service added for the year, making eight neighborhoods stops around the city.

Listening Station for the Orlando Public Library

In 1966, members of the Friends of the Library contributed money to purchase a six-person listening station to the new Orlando Public Library on Rosalind Street. Patrons could listen to the radio, records or tapes. The list of the contributors was included in the Dedication brochure given to guests on August 7, 1966.

Friends of the Library Newsletters

The monthly Friends of the Library Newsletters give a wonderful overview of the happenings in the library and in the Orlando and the Osceola County Friend’s group. New members are listed each month, and the annual reports are published in the June edition each year following the annual luncheon in May.

Many of the special events like Dinner with the Authors, Meet the Author and cultural events and entertainment were and continue to be sponsored by the Friends organization.

Ye Olde Book Sale

ABOVE: “Ye Olde Book Sale” at the Winter Park Mall, circa 1972, from 50th Anniversary of the Orlando Public Library.

In 1971, the Friends of the Library held their first “Ye Olde Book Sale” at the Colonial Plaza shopping center on Colonial Drive at Bumby Avenue. The remaining book sales were held at the Winter Park Mall located on the east side of Highway 17-92, just south of Lee Road (now the Winter Park Village). The annual book sales were extremely popular, netting the library $30,000 from the sales in 1972 and 1973!

The Friends of the Library Bookstore opened on the 3rd floor in the new Orlando Public Library in 1987.


The above notice was published in the March 1988 FOL Newsletter, celebrating the 1st Anniversary of the opening of the Friends of the Library Bookstore.

The library continues this tradition everyday, selling donated and withdrawn books in branch locations and at the bookstore on the 3rd floor of the Orlando Public Library. In addition, donated titles are also sold on Thriftbooks.com and on Ebay! The Friends of the Library continue to use funds for the benefit of the library in the form of equipment, programs and special events.

40th Anniversary of Friends of the Library


Published in the February 1989 Friends of the Library Newsletter.

50th Anniversary of Orlando’s Public Library

A brief history of the Friends of the Library is included in the 1973 Orange County Library System’s 50th Anniversary booklet. The Friends published “A Short History of the Friends of the Orlando Public Library,” in 1973, as well. The booklet lists all the officers of the club from the inception on February 28, 1949, through May 21, 1973.

Search Orlando Memory for more posts on the Friends of the Library and the Friends of the Library Newsletter.

Peruse additional photos and documents below under attachments.

For more information on how you can become a member of the Friends of the Library or about the bookstore, visit https://oclsfriends.info/ 

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ATTACHMENTS

New Library Project Slated - Friends of the Library organizational meeting

Article published in the Sentinel Star on Sunday, February 27, 1949, marks the beginning of the Friends of the Library organization at...

Friends Organizational Meeting

Friends Organizational Meeting by the Winter Park-Orlando Zonta Club held at the Albertson Public Library on February 28, 1949.

Library Body Set - Friends of the Library Association 1949

This article, published in the Orlando Morning Sentinel or Evening Star announces the formation of the Friends of the Library Association sponsored...

Zonta Library Committee postcard - return address

An early postcard from the ZONTA Library Commitee, Albertson Public Library.

Zonta Library Commitee - Postcard back

Postcard from the Zonta Library Committee sent to individuals inviting them to the organizational meeting at the Albertson Public Library.

1966 Dedication of the Orlando Public Library

Cover 1966 Dedication brochure.

1966 FOL contributors

Friends of the Library donated funds to purchase six-person listening station to the library.

1966 FOL contributors

Friends of the Library donated funds to purchase six-person listening station to the library.

Friends of the Library - Ye Olde Book Sale

The Friends of the Library's Ye Olde Book Sale held annually at the Winter Park Mall beginning in 1972 was a popular...

1973 Short History of the Friends of the library

Cover of booklet created by the Friends of the Library in 1973 for the 50th anniversary of the Orlando Public Library (formerly...

November 1980 FOL Newsletter

January 1988 FOL Newsletter - Ye Olde Book Sale at Colonial Plaza Mall

November 1982 FOL Newsletter

November 1982 FOL Newsletter - Ye Olde Book Sale at the Winter Park Mall

January 1988 FOL Newsletter

January 1988 FOL Newsletter. Osceola Friends event co-sponsored by the News-Gazette with author David Kaufelt

June 1988 FOL Newsletter

Romance book sale in the 3rd floor bookstore at the Orlando Public Library.

March 1988 FOL Newsletter

1st Anniversary of the opening of the Friends of the Library Bookstore on the 3rd floor of the OPL

June 1988 FOL Newsletter

Highlights of the Friend's of the Library activities in the year ending in May 1988.

September 1988 FOL Newsletter

September 1988 FOL Newsletter. Friends of the Library Endowments.

February 1989 FOL Newsletter

This clipping from the February 1989 FOL Newsletter celebrates the founding of the Friends of the Library in 1949.

February 1989 FOL Newsletter

Announcement that the Bookstore would now be open on Sundays.

March 1989 FOL Newsletter

2nd Anniversary of the opening of the Friends of the Library Bookstore on the 3rd floor of the OPL

October 1989 FOL Newsletter

The front cover of the October 1989 FOL Newsletter reports on the September book sale.

Friends of the Library Reception

Friends of the Library Reception. Kris Woodson, Community Relations on left.

Friends of the Library Reception

Friends of the Library Reception. FOL president Chris Ainsworth and Kris Woodson, Community Relations.

December 1996 FOL Party in the old Patio Room

December 1996 FOL Party in the old Patio Room on the roof of the 1966 Library.

December 1996 FOL Party in the old Patio Room

Invitation to the December 1996 FOL Party in the old Patio Room on the roof of the 1966 Library.

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Friends of the Library Article

Friends of the Library Article in the Orlando Evening Star - May 8, 1953 regarding delivery service for shut-ins.


1966 Library Dedication

Includes list of Friends of the Library members who donated money to provide six-person listening station to the new library.


1966 FOL contributors

Includes list of Friends of the Library members who donated money to provide six-person listening station to the new library.


Friends of the Library - 50th Anniversary of the Orlando Public Library

About the Friends . . .
Two pages of information on the Friends of the Library and their activities to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Albertson Public Library / Orlando Public Library.


1973 - Short History of the Friends of the Library

Short history of the Friends of the Orlando Public Library created for the library's 50th anniversary in 1973.


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