The Monterey Public Library Friends & Foundation serves to provide support through funding and volunteers to California’s first library, the Monterey Public Library.
Libraries are one of the last truly public spaces—free, open, and welcoming to all—where curiosity is celebrated, stories are preserved, and knowledge is shared freely. The Monterey Public Library is more than a building; it’s a hub for inspiration, learning, and connection.
For needs beyond the city budget, the Library turns to the MPL Friends & Foundation. This volunteer-led nonprofit raises critical funds to support programs for all ages, digital resources and eBooks, and public spaces that help our community thrive—from the Bookmobile and Summer Reading to expanded digital collections, new furnishings, and inclusive programming for all ages.
This year, your support will help fund author talks, youth programs, digital access to eBooks and databases, and technology upgrades to library spaces. When you support the Library through MPLF&F, you fund possibility—for everyone.
The Monterey Public Library supports Monterey County with an inclusive community and learning hub with an extensive collection of books, audiobooks, CDs, DVDs, online resources, historical collections, programs, and a community room accessible to all. The library has 274,000 county-wide visitors per year, with hundreds of programs and events engaging over 10,000 people of all ages. Our accessibility as a resource for free Internet service resulted in 27,000 patron visits to desktops, laptops, and/or wifi. Patrons outside of the library borrowed nearly 10,000 from our Bookmobile. We have an astonishing impact on the community with the accessibility, programs, and services offered to people of all ages in Monterey County and beyond.
I feel like the library knows me. I really feel safe and creative here. There’s always something new to learn, play, or make, and the people are kind and helpful.
- Rowen Ladio, Monterey
