Be Our Partner
Volunteering
Be a Partner in Our Library Community
Volunteers are an important part of our library family. More than helpers—they’re partners in learning, creativity, and connection. As a partner, you’ll help to create meaningful experiences for community members and make a real difference in people’s lives. Your time and energy help our community thrive.
If you’re ready to connect, contribute, and make an impact, we’d love to have you join us.
Volunteering Blog Posts
Teen Volunteering
Adult Volunteering
Donations
Community Support
The Palo Alto Library benefits from our superb Friends of the Palo Alto Library and generous public constituency. This support, enables the library to provide programming for all ages, enrich our collections and furnish our facilities.
You can donate to the library through the Friends of the Palo Alto Library.
The Friends of the Palo Alto Library supports the library and its users through advocacy, volunteerism, contributions, and book sales.
Your donations:
- Fund many vital library needs such as new books, computers, children’s summer reading programs, and online resources
- Decrease the burden on our landfills
- Yield a tax deduction for you
Drop-off Location & Hours:
Cubberley Community Center (Main Room)
4000 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Monday to Saturday, 3–5 PM
- FOPAL is open for drop-off donations of up to 6 boxes or bags (except for the week before their monthly book sale)
- No appointment is needed, unless you have a larger donation (7 or more boxes)
For more information, visit Donate to FOPAL or contact Sven-Erik Geddes at (650) 213-8755 or volunteerdir@fopal.org
Ways the Library Uses Donated Materials
Collection Policy
We strive to provide a diverse collection to meet the educational, informational, and recreational needs of its clientele.
The library staff consider these and other factors in selecting materials, whether the materials are from donation or acquisition:
- Popular interest or demand
- Reputation and significance of the author, artist or producer
- Price
- Age-level suitability
- Relevance to the community
- Physical durability
- Availability
As the library receives large amounts of donated material, those materials that do not meet the selection criteria for adding to the library collection are given to FOPAL, who then offer them for sale to the public.
The library also welcomes input from the community concerning the collection and invites our customers to make purchase suggestions.