The Friends' Bookshop

General information

As advocates for the Ottawa Public Library, FOPLA helps promotes a strong public library system in the community. We participate in annual budget debates at Ward and City Council meetings, and take every opportunity to publicize the library, its programs and its services.

We consider all 33 OPL branches to be part of a highly efficient system operating at reasonable cost when compared to similar municipal libraries across Canada, and we wish to build upon and protect that achievement.

As promoters of literacy, FOPLA helps build library collections in both official languages, improve library accessibility, and sponsors children's reading and writing programs. We also publish pot-pourri, an annual bilingual anthology of children’s poetry and short stories, to inspire our youth.

FOPLA donates more than $300,000 to OPL every year , with most funds coming from the operation of used bookstores, self-serve bookshelves in library branches, and specialty book sales run by our dedicated volunteers. Most of the funds we raise are put toward library materials and services not covered by OPL's municipal budget.