The History of the Friends of the Corona Library

On September 28, 1964 a meeting of 25 Corona citizens met to establish a group to provide support for the Library, which at that time was located at Eighth and Main Streets in a Carnegie Building. A motion was passed to form a group to be called Friends of the Corona Public Library with the purpose being to support the Corona Public Library through volunteerism.

Temporary officers were selected, and Librarian Lyle Perusse was present to encourage the group and discuss the need for more books and a larger Library building.

A group of Corona mothers and grandmothers attending a class taught by Dr. Dina Stallings were there.  The women complained about the lack of children’s books and children’s programs. Dr. Stallings encouraged these women to start a Friends’ group to support the Library.

On October 12, 1964, the group met again to elect Finis Frazier, a former Corona High School Principal, as the first president. The membership dues in 1964 were $1.00 for individuals, $2.00 for families and $.25 for students. Other officers were elected, the Constitution and By-Laws were accepted, and it was decided that everyone present that night would become a Charter Member of the Friends of the Corona Public Library.

There are numerous newspaper articles and pictures in the Corona Library Heritage Room of the Friends’ beginning. The Friends’ primary fundraising effort was a yearly book sale that consisted of book donations collected throughout the year. The sales usually generated between $2,000 to $2,500 in those early years. These parking lot book sales continued through 1988. The success of the book sales established a more prominent presence of the Friends by establishing an ongoing table-top book sale within the Library. The annual sales at that point were between $3,000 and $3,500.

In 1987 a $7.4 million bond was passed by the City of Corona to build a new Library on the corner of Sixth and Main Streets. The Library Board of Trustees joined forces with members of the Friends’ group and recruited new members in anticipation of the increased presence of the Friends in the new Library.

In 1991 the Friends made a landmark decision. After 27 years of supporting the Corona Library, the Corona Library Trustees approached the Friends’ group about establishing a used book store within the library.

The goals of the BookShop would include:

  1. To provide a stream of income to enhance the Corona Library
  2. To provide donated books that can be added to the Library’s collection
  3. To provide economic reading material for the community.

With the opening of the new Library on Sixth and Main Streets, the Friends established a BookShop in the area that is now the current Passport Office. The jump from table sales to operating an entire Friends’ BookShop was momentous. In its first year of operation, the BookShop generated $10,000. Popularity of the BookShop grew annually as did sales with amounts increasing to $104,000 in 2004 and currently generating approximately $90,000 to $100,000 annually.

In May 1992 the Friends’ Board began an Adopt-A-Book Program to help fill the shelves of the newly renovated Library which was scheduled to open in July 1993. Friends have provided over $340,000 to the Library through the Adopt-A-Book program over the years.

In 2000 a group of BookShop volunteers developed a program to sell books online by creating an Amazon Storefront. The program is the latest success story for the Friends and its BookShop. In fiscal year 2023-2024, internet sales contributed $14,755 to the income of the Friends.

The Friends are proud of the many books, programs for adults and children, Library events and goodwill that have been shared with the community through the Library. In the last 10 years, with city budgets being tightened, the Friends have purchased new books, new furniture, audio visual materials and provided funds for programs to engage children, young adults, and adults.
In the first 18 years of the BookShop’s existence a single manager was in charge of all activity. The BookShop has now grown to entrust a five-member BookShop Operations Committee to oversee BookShop sales as well as internet sales. This committee then reports to the Friends’ Board of Directors.  The collaboration between The Friends of the Library and the Library staff has been instrumental to its success. The willingness to share space, information and time reflects the teamwork of these two groups and benefits the needs of the community. The Friends cannot give its volunteers enough credit for making the organization the success that it is today!