The Friends are an all-volunteer, not-for-profit 501(c)(3). We promote the interests and programs of the Library.

We welcome new members and donations of money, books, CDs, DVDs, and time. Membership is open to everyone, and you can join or renew online or at Beatley's circulation desk. Friends' meetings are open to the public.

volunteer reading to kids

musician

SummerQuest

book author

The Beatley Friends help the Library achieve what it might not be able to on its own. We have raised more than $180,000 for the Beatley Library since 2012. Read the Friends' latest annual report.

We've funded enhancements like these:

New murals in the Children's area
Programs beyond the library’s budget, such as the StoryWalk in Holmes Run Park for children, the Tween Winter Olympics, cooking and Tai Chi classes for adults, and English lessons for speakers of other languages
Adult, teen and children's programs, such as All Alexandria Reads & SummerQuest (Check out the event calendar for Beatley and the other branches on the Alexandria Libraries website)
Large Meeting Room chairs that are much more comfortable and also easier to
arrange for events since they can fold, are lighter, and easier to store
Specialized computer stations for the children’s reading area for young users
with pre-installed educational games. They replaced heavily-used old
computers that were becoming unreliable and offered limited programs
Also, we advocate for the Library’s Capital Budget in front of the mayor, city manager, and city council.

What's Ahead

Going forward, the Friends are considering supporting projects like the following:

  • A redesign of the teen reading area
  • A book dedication program

Four Reasons to “Like” Us On Facebook

We know you like Beatley Library in real life. Now we ask you to “like” the Friends' Facebook page. What’s in it for you?

  1. Get reminders that membership comes with privileges like first dibs on books, CDs, and DVDs on sale.
  2. See how your contributions are helping the library (check out the gorgeous murals in the children’s area).
  3. Identify yourself as a library lover.
  4. Build up our numbers so at budget time City officials know their constituents care about library funding.

Friends Facebook Page