27Aug, 2021
    Join Us for Book Bingo on October 26

    Just in time for Halloween, you can enjoy some book tricks and treats featuring New York Times best-selling authors at our free book bingo event on Tuesday, October 26 from 3pm to 4:30pm.

    This virtual event is open to Maricopa County residents, and features authors Matt Coyle, Nicola Harrison, Greta Kelly, Laura Morelli, Sarah Warburton, and Karen White. While you enjoy the authors speak about their work, you’ll also be marking off key words on the bingo card supplied on your phone.

    Just like in regular bingo, participants will compete to cover five squares in a row. Winners will receive free copies of the authors’ books.

    To register for this event, please visit https://adventuresbythebook.com/event/book-bingo-trick-treat-2021/ and scroll down to where it says “Tickets.” You’ll receive a Zoom link and bingo card the week of the event from Adventures By the Book.

    Avid readers should also consider becoming a Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library member to join our monthly book club discussions, which are available at the Contributing Friend level and above.

    26Jul, 2021
    Restaurant Fundraisers Set for August 17 and September 21

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is partnering with local restaurants Macayo’s Mexican Restaurant and Ling & Louie’s Asian Bar and Grill on percentage nights during August and September.

    The first event will take place on Tuesday, August 17 at the Macayo’s at Pima Crossing (8608 East Shea Blvd). If you dine in and bring the Friends’ flyer, Macayo’s will donate 20 percent of your check to the Friends.

    The second event will occur on Tuesday, September 21 at the Ling and Louie’s at The Shops at 9400 (9397 East Shea Blvd). This promotion will feature a 15 percent donation for checks where the Friends’ flyer is presented, but is also eligible for take-out orders.

    So mark your calendars now for a night out with friends and family to benefit the Scottsdale Public Library. We are trying to plan more of these restaurant fundraisers in the future, so stay tuned for more details.

    29Jun, 2021
    Friends Supports 2021 Summer Reading Program

    The Summer Reading Program (SRP) is off and running, and once again the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is helping to fund the prize packs for those who complete the program.

    Teen prize pack for 2021 Summer Reading Program

    The SRP runs from June 1 through August 1, 2021, and is open to readers of all ages. It is not too late to sign up, and anyone who reaches 1,000 points is eligible to receive a prize pack after August 2 (while supplies last).

    You’ll receive one point for every minute read, and you can also receive additional points by completing online challenges or attending events. Children can also pick-up a free gameboard at any Scottsdale Public Library branch during open hours, as well as drive-thru windows and curbside pickup.

    To register for the Summer Reading Program, visit https://maricopacountyreads.org.

    20Jan, 2021
    Friends Participates in Birdies for Charity

    The “Greatest Show on Grass” will help raise money for Scottsdale Public Library this year, as the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library will benefit from every birdie scored at the Waste Management Phoenix Open from February 1-7.

    A golfer tees off at the famous 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale

    Friends is participating in Birdies for Charity, sponsored by Thunderbirds Charities. Donors can pledge a fixed amount (as low as $.01) for each birdie achieved at the Phoenix Open, and 100 percent of the Friends donors’ proceeds will benefit the Library.

    The Phoenix Open, despite the name, is played at TPC Scottsdale and is usually one of the most popular events on the PGA Tour. This year will have limited attendance due to COVID-19, so this is the next best way to get involved while supporting a great cause.

    To join in on the fun, visit https://tinyurl.com/birdies2021 and click the Donate Now button. There are two options to pledge, either per birdie or a fixed amount (minimum $20).

    As one of the higher scoring events on tour, it’s expected there will be 1,200 to 1,800 birdies scored at this year’s Phoenix Open. A pledge of $.01 with 1,500 birdies would result in a $15 donation.

    All pledges must be received by 5pm on Sunday, February 7, 2021. Please share this information with your friends and golf lovers, as Thunderbirds will match a percentage of funds once we reach total donations of $500.

    If you would prefer not to donate online, you can fill out and mail in this pledge form to:

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library
    PO Box 71
    Scottsdale, AZ 85252

    19May, 2020
    Friends Sponsors 2020 Summer Reading Program

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is proud to support this year’s Scottsdale Public Library Summer Reading Program (SRP), which will run from June 1 through August 1, 2020.

    Designed to encourage literacy at all ages, kids, teens, and adults log each minute they read over two months online to earn points. The goal is to read at least 20 minutes each day to build a lifelong reading habit.

    There will also be reading challenges and library programs with secret codes.

    Many of the events will be held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 virus. These include yoga storytimes, Shark Week family storytime, a series with McDowell Sonoran Preserve, craft programs, and trivia games for teens and adults.

    Kids can pick up a bilingual gameboard at Civic Center Library through the drive thru windows at the Appaloosa, Arabian and Mustang branches or curbside from Civic Center starting May 26, or at service desks when the Library reopens in early June.

    Participants who complete the program will receive completion prize packets during August, while supplies last. The Friends contributed towards the purchase of this year’s prizes, which will include books, journals, stickers, and water bottles.

    1May, 2020
    Former Friends’ President Receives 2020 Governor’s Heritage Heritage Honor Preservation Award

    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is proud to announce that former Board President Joan Fudala is receiving one of this year’s Governor’s Heritage Honor Preservation Awards, to be awarded virtually in June.

    The awards are given annually since 1982 by the Arizona Preservation Foundation and State Historic Preservation Office to recognize outstanding achievements in preserving Arizona’s historic resources. They are awarded at the Arizona Historic Preservation Conference, which n 2018 took place in Scottsdale.

    Fudala is also a member of the Scottsdale History Hall of Fame, and has authored numerous books on the history of Scottsdale. She served as President of the Friends’ Board from 2003 to 2004, and received a Spirit of Literacy Award from the Friends in 2014.

    Recently, Fudala was a pivotal member of the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC) campaign committee from 2017 to 2019. This group completed a $500,000 capital campaign to build the SHC space in Civic Center Library that permanently houses the written and visual history of Scottsdale for research and documentation purposes.

    You can learn more about the Governor’s Heritage Honor Preservation Awards and see a list of current and former winners at the Arizona Preservation Foundation website.

    1Jan, 2020
    Friends Relaunches Membership Program with “Be a Friend, Make a Friend!”

    Do you love libraries and support lifelong learning? Are you looking to meet people with common interests? If so, the the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library’s new membership program is for you.

    Spear-headed by Membership Chair Peggy Sharp-Chamberlain, we now have four levels of membership:

    1. Friend ($35 – $99)
    2. Contributing Friend ($100 – $499)
    3. Supporting Friend ($500+)
    4. Corporate Friend ($1,000)

    We are also rewarding Friends members with special benefits, like a book club membership, invitations (and guest passes) for author presentations, discounts at the Library Shop, and a behind the scenes tour of the Library.

    All Friends memberships are tax deductible, and money raised supports events and programs at Scottsdale Public Library. If you are interested, view our membership brochure or make a donation today.

    9Oct, 2019
    Former Friends Board Members Receive Historic Preservation Recognition Awards

    Two former Presidents of the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library recently received Historic Preservation Recognition Awards from the Grand Canyon Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on October 5.

    Paul Messinger (left) and Douglas Sydnor (right) presented with Historic Preservation Awards

    Paul Messinger and Douglas Sydnor received the awards due to their efforts preserving the history of Scottsdale.

    In addition to their time serving on the Friends Board, both Messinger and Sydnor were committee members who helped raise funds for the Scottsdale Heritage Connection, the Friends’ major fundraising effort from 2017-19. They were also Gold and Silver donors, respectively, toward the new space.

    The SHC will officially open to the public on Saturday, October 19 within Civic Center Library. It will preserve the written and oral history of Scottsdale, offering research opportunities and historic lectures.

    “Paul Messinger is a walking encyclopedia on everything Scottsdale and very much deserves to be recognized by the Daughters of the American Revolution for his contributions to preserving history,” wrote Marshall Trimble, Arizona’s Official State Historian, in his letter of recommendation.

    Sydnor has authored three books on Arizona Historic architecture, and in 2018 received the Governor’s Heritage Preservation Honor Award.

    The Friends congratulates Messinger and Sydnor on their recent honor, and thanks them for helping preserve the history of Scottsdale.

    13Dec, 2018
    Friends Donates Over $100K to Preserve Scottsdale History

    For Immediate Release

    Scottsdale, Ariz. (December 14, 2018) – The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library presented a $101,200 donation to the Scottsdale City Council at the December 12 Council meeting to be used for the Scottsdale Heritage Connection (SHC), a 2,000 square foot modern research space to house a collection of the oral, written and visual history of Scottsdale.

    Scottsdale Heritage Connection Architect Doug Sydnor addresses Scottsdale City Council with a presentation on the SHC before the money was donated

    The money raised is through a public-private partnership including leaders of the Scottsdale community like Paul Messinger, Honorary SHC Committee Chair. Over 60 Library supporters and community citizens have donated, in addition to contributions from area corporations and foundations.

    This $101,200 is the first of several planned donations to the SHC project. It will provide supplemental funding to ensure that construction schedule will continue moving forward in the spring of 2019. The City of Scottsdale has planned for the project in its Capital Improvements Project budget for 2018-2019 fiscal year.

    The permanent 2,000 square foot glass walled area, set to open in 2019, is being branded as “a window to the past, a celebration of the present and a portal to the future.” It will be a newly built space next to the Knowasis Teen Center in the Civic Center Library. The archives will include:

    • Over 10,000 photographs and images of Scottsdale, its buildings, events and residents
    • More than 450 video and audio recordings highlighting the City’s rich history
    • 700 books, phone directories, local media and Scottsdale high school yearbooks
    • Local newspaper clippings from as early as the 1950s

    The Friends is grateful to the many donors of the Library’s Southwest Collection since 1973, which provided the framework for the current SHC collection. For example, in the 1980s, numerous donors honored the memory of the late Scottsdale Mayor B.L. “Bud” Tims through contributions to the Southwest Collection.

    The new SHC space will expand public access and research resources regarding Scottsdale’s diverse history. It will also provide artifact display opportunities, with computers to access the online collection, a private room to conduct research, and a designated area for lectures and community meetings related to local history.

    “We are so thankful for the generous donations thus far from advocates for Scottsdale history,” said Carol Damaso, SHC Campaign Committee Chair and former Director of the Scottsdale Public Library. “We look forward to the Friends making another donation soon to fund the completion of this project.”

    As the official 501(c)(3) campaign partner, the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library is accepting tax-deductible donations of all levels to support the SHC. To learn more or to donate, please visit https://scottsdalelibraryfriends.org/shc. High-resolution images of the project design are available for media use.

    About the Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library
    The Friends of the Scottsdale Public Library, founded in 1985, is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) all-volunteer organization whose members support Scottsdale’s Library system through public education, advocacy, and fundraising. The Friends provides funding for Scottsdale Public Library programming and resources to support lifelong learning.

    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.