$5,995 raised
75% complete
$8,000 Goal
The Friends of the Aurora Public Library is a non-profit organization committed to supporting services and programs of the Aurora Public Library. Friends raise funds by staffing and operating the Book Outlet which sells used books with proceeds directly benefiting the Library.
The Friends of the Aurora Public Library celebrated their 35th Anniversary as a non-profit organization in 2022. The Sentinel highlighted the impact the Book Outlet has on the Aurora community. Click here.
As a separate entity from the Library, The Book Outlet is currently located at 2243 South Peoria Street in the Iliff Square Shopping Center at the northwest corner of Iliff and Peoria in Aurora. The Book Outlet has over 2,000 square feet of used books and other media in over 100 categories. Staffed entirely by nearly 50 enthusiastic and knowledgeable volunteers from the community, The Book Outlet provides a vibrant, well-organized atmosphere for readers of all ages.
The Mission of the Friends of the Aurora Public Library is to support the ongoing programs and services of the Aurora Public Library with financial donations and to celebrate the lifetime joys of reading by offering a wide variety of low cost books and other media in a vibrant, well organized atmosphere. The Friends provide knowledgeable, caring volunteers to assist customers with their reading needs.
The history of The Friends of the Aurora Public Library and The Book Outlet shows a fascinating legacy of growth, dedication and commitment in service to the community:
• In 1977, The Friends of the Aurora Public Library was originally created by the Board of Trustees of the Aurora Public Library to help support the efforts to build a new library.
• For several years, the Friends hosted annual book sales that provided operating revenues for the organization as well as some financial support to the Aurora Public Library.
• The Friends was reinstituted and reinvigorated by a dedicated group of volunteers in 1987 and became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the State of Colorado in January of 1987.
• In 1990, the Aurora City Council and the Aurora Public Library granted permission to the Friends to reactivate and convert a bookmobile to a used book outlet.
• In July, 1990, the Mobile Aurora Book Library Exchange (MABLE) was born in this unique space.
• MABLE operated from the parking lot of the Central Aurora Public Library and also traveled to branch libraries around the City of Aurora.
• Seeking a permanent storefront location for book sales and through the generous support of a local business, the Friends were able to open their first retail location in January 1991 at 14573 East Alameda Avenue. This would become the now famous Friends of the Aurora Public Library Book Outlet.
• The extra space and stable location facilitated the acceptance of donated materials from the community and the library, enhanced the Friends ability to attract volunteers, allowed memberships to grow and vastly improved the Friends ability to provide financial support to the Library.
• In May 2000, a new and larger location for The Book Outlet was opened in a more visible location at 340 South Chambers Road. Memberships and sales continued to increase as did donations. This continued to present challenges due to ongoing space constraints.
• In March, 2005, The Book Outlet moved once again to a new, larger location adjacent to the Iliff Square Branch of the Aurora Public Library. With more than twice the space of previous locations, the Friends of the Aurora Public Library and The Book Outlet continue to grow in volunteers, members and donations.
• We celebrated our 35th Anniversary in 2022!
• Now, we challenge the community of readers to help us continue to achieve our important mission by supporting the Friends of the Aurora Public Library through Colorado Gives Day and the Community First Foundation.
Organization name
Friends of the Aurora Public Library Book Outlet
other names
FAPL
1987
Tax id (EIN)
74-2457792
Category
Education, Arts, Culture & Humanities, Public & Societal Benefit
Organization Size
Small Organization
Address
2243 South Peoria StreetArapahoe County, CO, US