The Friends of the Library — San Lorenzo Area is a community-based organization registered with the State of California as a public benefit nonprofit corporation. Contributions to us are tax-deductible as we are a tax-exempt organization (Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3)). Our bylaws were substantially revised in 2008.

Friends operated as an informal organization until 1977, when it was chartered by the state as a nonprofit corporation. Our articles of incorporation state that our purposes are

"to maintain an association of persons interested in the free public libraries; to focus public attention on the libraries; to stimulate the use of the resources and services of the libraries; to receive and encourage gifts, endowments and bequests to the libraries; to foster public support and coooperation with libraries in developing free public library services and facilities for the community."

The governing board of Friends is elected by members. Meetings are open to nonmembers.

Membership is open to everyone who wants to preserve and enhance the facilities and services of San Lorenzo Library. Our aim is to have a diverse membership that reflects the entire library service area, which includes San Lorenzo Village, the Ashland and Cherryland districts, and neighborhoods in the hills overlooking Ashland (east of I-580).

We are not related to the San Lorenzo Library Advisory Committee, which is an ad hoc committee created by the county board of supervisors in 2002 to advise the county library administrator on building plans for the San Lorenzo Library.