Mission Statement
The Friends group supports the Waterloo Public Library's services and programs, promotes literacy through outreach programs that encourage and enhance reading throughout the community, and conducts fundraising activities to assist with library programs and projects.
Donate/Join
Your one time or sustained gift to Friends helps ensure the Waterloo Public Library will continue to fulfill its mission of providing free access to information, education and recreation in a welcoming environment.
Donate to the Friends Endowment Fund at the Northeast Iowa Community Foundation.
Support Friends of the Library by becoming a member. Friends members receive early access to Friends book sales.
The Friends Used Book Shop offers like-new, used books, movies, and more for the entire family at great prices! Come in and browse anytime during library hours.
You may contact Friends of the Library at friends@waterloopubliclibrary.org.
Triannual Friends Book Sales
Friends host book sales 3 times per year, typically in February, June, and September.
The next Friends $5-a-bag Book Sale date is:
Members-only Preview* | Thursday, February 27, 2025 | 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm | *memberships will be available at the door
Public Sale | Saturday, March 1, 2025 | 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Sign up for a new membership on Saturday and receive a free bag of books!
Cash or check only.
Additionally, the basement is now open to the public every Monday, and occasional Saturdays (visit the library's website calendar), from 10 am - 1 pm. Shop the book sale inventory at Friends Used Book Shop pricing.
Please note that the basement will not be open the Monday immediately following this sale, so volunteers have time to tidy up.
Yes, Friends members are invited to shop from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm the Thursday evening prior to the public sale. Friends memberships are available for purchase at this sale.
Cash or check only.
Friends memberships are available for as little as $15 ($10 for seniors) and all membership proceeds benefit special events and programming at the Waterloo Public Library.
A little bit of everything. Old and new books for all ages, plus audio visual materials, books on CD, and more. There are approximately 20,000 items that have been sorted by author or category to make browsing easier.
Yes you can! Friends accept donations during regular library hours, but ask that you limit your donation amount to 5 boxes or one cartful per day.
Due to the high costs of recycling and trash removal, we ask that you limit your donations to items we can sell - things that you'd be willing to buy.
- No broken spines or missing covers.
- No torn, missing, marked or highlighted pages.
- No stained, moldy or wet pages; no books with bad odors.
- Magazines less than one year old.
- No textbooks older than 5 years from the current year.