OUR HISTORY

Since 1949, the Friends have been key to the Bonita Springs Library. Its volunteers operated the first library, housed in a tiny building and later in the Women's Club downtown. The Friends organized the town's first bookmobile and donated countless hours of time, elbow grease and more than $80,000 to help open the Pine Avenue library in 1991.

In 2019, the Friends made a major contribution to the opening of a new, state-of-the-art library on Reynolds Street behind the town's iconic banyan tree. We do not operate the library; instead, we provide funding for library programs, collections, and equipment. As the library grows and changes with the times, the Friends will be there to help.

For more than 50 years, the Friends have worked as a nonprofit, volunteer group to support the Bonita Springs Library. In fact, we've grown to be the largest supporter of an individual library in Lee County. Each year, we sponsor hundreds of in-library activities, fund the summer reading program, contribute to the Southwest Florida Reading Festival, and much more.