About the Friends

Founded in 1985, the Friends of the Ramona Library are dedicated to making our local public library the best it can be. Their hard work has gained the Friends a reputation among San Diego County library staff as one of the most enthusiastic and effective Friends groups in the county system.

The Friends serve the book-loving community through their bookstore, "The Open Book" , which raises money for special children's programs and to buy new books, videotapes, and audiotapes for the library's collection. The Open Book has a special book sale the third Saturday of every month and is open daily, except Sunday, from 10 am to 4 pm. The Friends also recruit volunteers to work with the library staff shelving books, reading to children, working with the literacy program as well as other tasks.

The quarterly newsletter, "Friendly Waves", contains news about library events and projects and is emailed to members and is also available in the bookstore, the library, the Chamber of Commerce building, and on this web site. In the past few years, the Friends devoted additional energy toward the goal of our new library by creating a special committee, which raised $132,000 in cash and close to $650,000 in pledges toward the new library. Altogether, the Friends' efforts represent thousands of volunteer hours per year.

Membership in the Friends is open to all. The organization is led by a board of directors elected from the general membership. The board meets every month except July on the third Wednesday at 2 pm in the Ramona Library Community Room which is located at the back of the library by the parking lot.

The Friends of the Ramona Library are registered as a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization under the ID number 33-020-7592. All contributions are tax deductible.