9Dec, 2019
    Friends Hosts Booth at Ultimate Play Date

    It was a day of fun and learning as the Friends once again supported Scottsdale Public Library’s Ultimate Play Date on Saturday, December 7 at Civic Center Library.

    The Friends’ table at Ultimate Play Date

    In addition to sponsoring the face painting exhibit, the Friends featured a booth with a prize wheel. Children could win bookmarks, pencils, and candy.

    The Play Date was filled with free educational and entertainment activities for children, including exhibits focused on science, music, and language. This annual event typically occurs during the spring, but was pushed to December this year due to construction on Scottsdale Mall.

    The Friends also solicited donations for our 2020 fundraising project, expansion of the children’s story time room at Civic Center Library. If you’d like to help with this effort, please consider a tax-deductible donation.

    27Aug, 2019
    Come Learn the History of Scottsdale Sports on Thursday, September 12

    The Scottsdale Public Library has announced its next free salon series events celebrating the history of sports in Scottsdale on Thursday, September 12 at 6pm.

    Historian Joan Fudala will present pictures and stories covering Scottsdale’s many ventures into sports, including Spring Training, golf events, and high school sports.

    Back by popular demand, additional salon series events will soon be announced to cover numerous historical topics. They are led by Fudala and Doug Sydnor, former members of the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library Board, in conjunction with the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC).

    The salon series originally began in February 2018, with continuations in fall 2018 and spring 2019. While they have traditionally rotated throughout Scottsdale Library branches, the hope is that they will soon be housed within the SHC space, scheduled to open to the public this fall.

    1Nov, 2018
    Scottsdale Library History Salon Series is Back in January

    Scottsdale Public Library has announced its next round of free salon series events celebrating the history of Scottsdale beginning in January.

    The first event on Thursday, January 10, 2019 will feature Golf in Scottsdale at Arabian Library at 6pm, just in time for the annual Phoenix Open golf tournament.

    Join us at Civic Center Library on Thursday, February 14, 2019 for History of Scottsdale Housing at 6pm.

    The March event will delve into How Scottsdale Evolved as a Health & Wellness Center. It will take place Thursday, March 14, 2019 at 6pm in Appaloosa Library, which will turn 10 years old in 2019.

    In April, we’ll explore Why Scottsdale Looks the Way It Does at Mustang Library Auditorium on Thursday, April 11, 2019 at 6pm.

    Lastly, on May 2, 2019 we hope to celebrate the opening of the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC) with Preserving Scottsdale’s Stories: Publications and Oral Histories in the SHC Collection. This event will take place in Civic Center Library’s Copper Gallery at 6pm.

    All events are hosted by Scottsdale historians and authors Joan Fudala and Doug Sydnor. They will include photos, videos and other historic documents that will be featured in the SHC when it opens in 2019.

    The SHC is being funded through a capital campaign by the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library.

    For more information on the series or the City’s historical collection, please visit http://www.scottsdalelibrary.org/historical.

    7Sep, 2018
    Friends to Host Grand Opening Reception of Library’s Frank Lloyd Wright Exhibit

    Architecture lovers, be sure to attend the Scottsdale Library’s grand opening of Footprints on the Desert, an art exhibit celebrating the work of Frank Lloyd Wright, on Friday, September 21 from 6:30pm to 8pm at Civic Center Library.

    Footprints on the Desert will be on display for free at the Library from September 15 through December 31, but this one day only reception will feature special guest Vernon Swaback, who studied under Wright for two years. The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library will be providing appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages at this free event.

    Organized by the AZ Heritage Center and the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation in celebration of Wright’s 150th birthday, Footprints on the Desert includes images and artifacts from his past, as well as designs for structures that weren’t built.

    The reception and exhibit will take place in the gallery at Civic Center Library, which in 2019 will become the new home of the Scottsdale Heritage Collection. This will be the last exhibit provided in the gallery by Scottsdale Public Art.

    1Aug, 2018
    Scottsdale Library History Salon Series to Continue This Fall

    The Scottsdale Public Library will be continuing its salon series celebrating the history of Scottsdale in September with three free events.

    While the previous salon series showcased all its events at the Civic Center branch, this fall’s series will offer programming at three different Library branches.

    Just in time for the new school year, the event on Thursday, September 8 will feature A History of Scottsdale’s Schools at Mustang Library from 6pm to 7pm.

    Join us at Civic Center Library on Thursday, October 11 for Celebrate 68! 50th Anniversary of Scottsdale’s Civic Center from 6pm to 7pm. This will also include a salute to the Civic Center Architect, Bennie Gonzales.

    The last event will help prepare for Scottsdale’s winter visitors with Scottsdale’s Tourism & Resort History. It will take place Thursday, November 15 from 6pm to 7pm at Appaloosa Library, which will turn 10 years old in 2019.

    All events are hosted by Scottsdale historians and authors Joan Fudala and Doug Sydnor. They will include photos, videos and other historic documents that will be featured in the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC).

    The SHC is a permanent exhibition opening set to open in 2019 to showcase all of the City of Scottsdale’s historical documents. It is being funded through a capital campaign by the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library.

    For more information on the series or the City’s historical collection, please visit http://www.scottsdalelibrary.org/historical.

    30Apr, 2018
    Friends Chosen as Scottsdale Resort Community Thursday Partner

    If you like great food, delicious cocktails and excellent views of the Arizona desert, you can enjoy all of that while supporting the Scottsdale Library during Thursdays in May.

    Scottsdale Resort Flyer

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is the official nonprofit partner for Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch‘s Community Thursday program. This means five percent of all sales at Bar Six40 and Kitchen West on Thursdays (after 4pm) next month will be donated to the Friends.

    The Friends will be designating any money raised to the Scottsdale Heritage Connection, which is a fundraiser to build a permanent exhibit at Civic Center Library to showcase all of Scottsdale’s written and photographic history.

    To participate, all you need to do is enjoy a delicious meal at either Bar Six40 or Kitchen West during any of the five Thursdays in May 2018. You don’t need to mention the Friends or Scottsdale Library, but the more people you bring, the more money we raise.

    Please spread the word and help us preserve Scottsdale’s history while enjoying happy hour or dinner and one of the last chances to dine outside until October.

    25Jan, 2018
    Scottsdale Library to Feature Monthly Salon Series of Scottsdale History

    The Scottsdale Library will host a series of free monthly events to showcase the history of the city beginning Thursday, February 22.

    The events will all take place at the Civic Center branch from 6pm to 7pm, and will be hosted by Scottsdale historians and authors Joan Fudala and Doug Sydnor. Each session will have a theme, and will feature photos, videos and other historic documents collected by the City.

    The first event on February 22 will focus on Scottsdale Special Events History. Subsequent events that are already planned include:

    • Scottsdale Art History on Thursday, March 8
    • Scottsdale’s History of Preservation on Thursday, April 12
    • Scottsdale’s Historic Properties & Architectural History on Thursday, May 17

    The salon series will promote the Library’s Scottsdale Heritage Connection, a project of the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library to create a permanent exhibition that showcases all of the City’s historical documents.

    For more information on the series or the City’s historical collection, please visit http://www.scottsdalelibrary.org/historical.

    17Nov, 2017
    Friends Raises Funds via 1st Bank Good Week

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library participated in 1st Bank’s annual Good Week on November 14 to raise money for the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC).

    SHC volunteers at 1st Bank Good Week event

    Good Week provided free lunches at its branches in Gilbert and Scottsdale all week from local restaurants. The Friends partnered with Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers, which offered burgers, macaroni and cheese and non-alcoholic drinks.

    Friends promoted the SHC and raised money from interested donors. The event raised over $100 toward the SHC project.

    Thank you to 1st Bank for providing this platform to promote the preservation of Scottsdale’s history.

    5Sep, 2017
    Friends to Host Book Fair at Barnes & Noble from September 7-12

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is excited to once again partner with Barnes & Noble on a book fair, with a portion of book sales proceeds benefiting the Friends.

    From Thursday, September 7 through Tuesday, September 12, you can participate in one of three ways:

    • Bring in this flyer when you shop at the Barnes & Noble at Shea Boulevard and the 101 freeway in Scottsdale and show it at checkout, or mention that you are supporting the Scottsdale Library book fair
    • Attend the free Children’s Learning Festival on September 9 at WestWorld and purchase one of the children’s books written by a local Arizona author
    • Visit http://bn.com/bookfairs and use bookfair ID 12217683 at checkout

    These are all great ways to support lifelong learning while also raising money for the Scottsdale Library. Thank you for your continued support.

    20Jul, 2017
    Friends to Co-Host Children’s Learning & Play Festival September 9

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library are once again excited to be partnering on the Children’s Learning & Play Festival, set for September 9 at WestWorld in Scottsdale from 9am to 4pm.

    Last year’s inaugural event drew over 12,000 attendees for a day of children’s activities including authors and illustrators, STEM programming and a play zone with games, arts and crafts.

    The Friends are once again sponsoring the authors and illustrators, which last year included Marc Brown, author of the Arthur the Aardvark book series that was adapted into a PBS children’s show. This year, authors will be selling and signing copies of their books thanks to a partnership with Barnes & Noble, who will be processing all transactions and donating a percentage of sales of the Friends.

    Just like last year, the Festival is free of charge for all attendees, and will be indoors and air-conditioned. Parking will be $5, and we are requesting a non-perishable food donation to support the Vista Del Camino Food Bank.

    This year’s Children’s & Learning Festival is presented by Tuft & Needle.