About Us
 The Friends of the Richland Library (FORL) is a registered non-profit business in the State of Washington. The organization has been classified by the IRS as a 501(c)3 public charity since the mid-1970s. The organization is 100% staffed by volunteers from Richland and the surrounding communities.
    
Our History            
 Friends of the Richland Library began at an organizational meeting held on October 3, 1962, in a private home. The impetus for such action was “the financial squeeze that is common to many libraries these days…” Officers were elected and a membership drive was commenced. By December there were 60 contributing members.

 Over the many years the Friends, through funds from book sales and memberships, have supplied many needs of the library from A (art work) to Z (zoo animal chairs for children). Many letters in between included funds for the following:

• Books, books, and more books
• Children’s Summer Reading and other programs
• E-readers
• New public internet computers
• Laptop computers
• Microfiche reader and at a later time, Microsoft Publisher
• Presentations by local authors and other speakers
• Reference books and recordings, from CDs to online downloads
• Supplies for STEAM activities
• Young adult programming

 Selling used books in the Bookroom began in December of 1990. A storage room was cleared out and the store was opened for business on Mondays and Wednesdays. 

 Currently, our Bookroom is open every day that the library is open, thanks to a wonderful crew of volunteers. Our membership at present is almost 100 individuals or families.  We appreciate our great location next to the coffee shop, off the main lobby. There are many avenues for service for volunteers who love books and enjoy getting them into the hands of readers.