What is the Goddard Friends and Foundation?

Have you ever heard of the Friends and Foundation of the Goddard Public Library? If you have, do you know who they are and what they do? We want to use this month's post as an opportunity to help make our patrons more familiar with the Friends and Foundation and the help that they provide the library.

The Friends and Foundation of the Goddard Public Library is a 501c3 non-profit organization that provides support through a number of ways to our library - aka, they are behind the scenes library superheroes! Just this year, the Friends sponsored our 2025 Summer Reading Story Times and multiple Learning Kits, including American Girl Dolls and Hot Wheels, had two successful Book Sales, as well as offering Cultural Pass incentives to paying Friends Members.

So, how does a Friends and Foundation run? The Friends and Foundation has a Board of Directors consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and several Board Members. The Board meets monthly on the first Tuesday at 6pm. Meetings are open to all Friends members and the community.

If you are interested in becoming a Friends member, there are a couple of options:

• Basic Membership - Free: Access to the Friends Newsletter to stay up to date on volunteer opportunities and other events.

• Individual Membership - $15: Access to the Newsletter, one year fine-free on one library account, and exclusive access to experience passes to local attractions.

• Household Membership - $40 - Extends the Individual benefits to everyone residing in your household.

What are the exclusive experience passes? Each year, the Goddard Friends and Foundation purchases organizational passes to Wichita-area attractions available to Friends Members for check out. In 2025, the passes offered are Botanica, Cowtown, Exploration Place, Sedgwick County Zoo and Tanganyika. These passes are kept at the library and check out for three days at a time. These are organizational passes, meaning there is only one pass per location that provides free admission for a set number of people. If you have any questions regarding these passes, our library staff will be happy to answer them!

So, interested in becoming a Friends member? You can find registration details on our website at https://www.goddardlibrary.com/blank-1. Friends and Foundation is located under the ‘About Us’ tab. Membership dues can be paid online with card or in person at the Goddard Public Library with cash or check. Memberships are for a calendar year. Renewal details for 2026 will be announced at the beginning of the year as well as next year’s pass information.

If you follow us on social media, you may have noticed our Friends Friday posts. Friends Fridays are an opportunity for us to highlight the Friends, their volunteer opportunities, and all of the things they have going on. We encourage you to follow us on Facebook @GPLibrary and Instagram @goddardlibrary to stay up to date with all the things the Friends are up to!