Although funds earned by the Friends cannot be used to supplement staff salaries or extend library hours, we can do a lot to support both staff and library programs. Friends of the Olympia Library funded all these things in 2008:
- Notes Between Friends – The Friends’ Quarterly Newsletter
- Library shelving for newspapers
- Bike rack for Library staff
- Tuning the Library’s piano and repairing the Staff coffeemaker
- Special events: High School play performance
- Outreach: Participation in Olympia’s Ethnic Celebration and Arbor Day, and Evergreen Villages children’s program
- Books and incentives for: “Reading Explorers” and “Teen Book Discussion Group”
- Extra copies of teen bestsellers
- Refreshments and decorations for special patron and staff events
- Appreciation awards and brunch for Library pages, aides, volunteers and staff
- Puppets and toys for children’s story times
- Rent for storage space for Book Sale books
- Camera for Library staff
- Chairs for Teen Corner and bench in the hallway
- “Book Page” subscriptions
- Cigarette Butt Bin
- Youth Services Planning Retreat
- Flat cart and ergonomic lift cart for staff transporting books
- Convex security mirror and plant containers
- Boxes for storing books during Library remodel
- Special presentations for adults: authors Eric Lyle, Silja J.A. Talvi, Quintard Taylor: musician Mirah Yomtov Zeitlin
- Adult Book Display table
