South Pasadena Library
The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1950 that raises funds and supports the South Pasadena Public Library through a volunteer-run bookstore, tiered membership program, donations, and concert proceeds, serving 700+ members and 2,000 children annually.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1950
- HeadquartersSouth Pasadena, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What South Pasadena Library does
The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 1950 to raise funds and increase public awareness in support of the South Pasadena Public Library. The organization is entirely volunteer-run with no paid staff and is governed by a Board of Directors. It serves the South Pasadena, California community through financial support, volunteer mobilization, and program underwriting. Headquartered at 1100 Oxley Street, South Pasadena, the Friends group maintains over 700 members ("Friends") who donate time and money to sustain library services.
The organization operates four primary revenue-generating programs: a volunteer-run used bookstore on the second floor of the library (selling donated books, CDs, DVDs, games, and puzzles), a tiered membership program with annual giving levels ranging from "Storyteller" (up to $49) through "Epic" ($1,000+), a multi-fund donation platform (including the Book Purchase Fund, Technology Fund Campaign, and Elizabeth Seto Endowment Fund), and the self-financed Restoration Concert Series held in the Library Community Room. The bookstore alone generates approximately $40,000 per year and is described as the largest single source of funds. Technology infrastructure is minimal: the organization relies on third-party DonorSnap for donation processing, membership management, and ACH/credit card acceptance, with no proprietary platform, no mobile app, and no API integrations disclosed.
The go-to-market motion is community-led and relies on word-of-mouth, direct outreach at library events, a monthly email newsletter ("Between Friends"), and the organization's website (friendsofsopaslibrary.org). Customer segments are local residents, families with children benefiting from the Summer Reading Program (serving approximately 2,000 children annually for free), and library supporters/donors across five giving tiers. Distribution occurs through the in-person bookstore, online donation/membership forms, and direct mail. There are no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, partnerships with external organizations, patents, trademarks, awards, or AI/ML capabilities.
South Pasadena Library firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- South Pasadena Library
- Legal name
- Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library, Inc.
- Website
- https://friendsofsopaslibrary.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1950
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1950 that raises funds and supports the South Pasadena Public Library through a volunteer-run bookstore, tiered membership program, donations, and concert proceeds, serving 700+ members and 2,000 children annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
South Pasadena Library industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Library Support Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Fundraising & Annual Giving (EDALAOAB), Literary Arts & Writing Organizations (BPAGAHAK)
Keywords
Where South Pasadena Library is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Pasadena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
South Pasadena Library business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Bookstore Sales: The Friends Bookstore is the largest source of funds for the organization. It sells donated books, CDs, DVDs, games, and puzzles. The bookstore is completely volunteer-run and generates approximately $40,000 per year for the library.
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees at various giving levels (Storyteller up to $49, Novelist $50-$199, Bestseller $200-$499, Classic $500-$999, Epic $1000+). These unrestricted funds support community programs, children programs, and ongoing projects.
- General Donations: Financial donations from the public that provide critical funding for materials, resources, and programs. Includes designated funds such as the Book Purchase Fund, Technology Fund Campaign, and Elizabeth Seto Endowment Fund for children and teen books.
- Restoration Concert Series: Net proceeds from the Restoration Concert Series are used for the continued enhancement of the Community Room and the Library. Sunday concerts are held at 4:00 PM in the Library Community Room.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Storyteller: up to $49 annually |
| Subscription | Annual | Novelist: $50-$199 annually |
| Subscription | Annual | Bestseller: $200-$499 annually |
| Subscription | Annual | Classic: $500-$999 annually |
| Subscription | Annual | Epic: $1000 and above annually |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
South Pasadena Library product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library raises funds and increases public awareness in support of the South Pasadena Public Library's services and programs. It does so primarily through a volunteer-run Friends Bookstore (the largest funding source, generating approximately $40,000 per year), a tiered annual membership program, multiple donation funds, and a self-financed Restoration Concert Series, while underwriting community programs such as the Summer Reading Program that serves approximately 2,000 children annually.
Product overview
Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1950 with over 700 members. It operates as a support organization for the South Pasadena Public Library, providing funding and programmatic support. The organization offers a portfolio of services including the volunteer-run Friends Bookstore (generating approximately $40,000 annually), the Restoration Concert Series (self-financed musical performances), membership and donation programs, a monthly newsletter called "Between Friends," and sponsorship of the Summer Reading Program serving 2,000 children. The core offerings work together to supplement library funding and expand community access to literary and cultural resources.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Friends Bookstore A volunteer-run used bookstore located on the 2nd floor of the South Pasadena Public Library, open five days a week, that sells donated fiction, non-fiction, children's books, DVDs, CDs, vintage books, and games/puzzles; also operates a Silent Auction program. Generates approximately $40,000 per year—the largest single source of funds for the Friends organization.
- Restoration Concerts A self-financed concert series held in the Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro Street, South Pasadena, featuring Sunday concerts at 4:00 PM with season tickets available for purchase. Net proceeds support the continued enhancement of the Community Room and the Library.
- Membership Program An annual membership program with five suggested giving levels—Storyteller (up to $49), Novelist ($50–$199), Bestseller ($200–$499), Classic ($500–$999), and Epic ($1,000+)—offered to community members who wish to support the South Pasadena Public Library. Members receive the "Between Friends" newsletter and other benefits; membership is processed online via DonorSnap.
- Donation Programs A portfolio of tax-deductible donation options supporting the South Pasadena Public Library, including the Book Purchase Fund (for print, digital, and audiobooks), the Technology Fund Campaign, the Elizabeth Seto Endowment Fund for children and teen books, Memorial/In Honor Donations, and General Donations. Online contributions are processed via DonorSnap.
- Summer Reading Program (Sponsorship) An annual Summer Reading Program serving approximately 2,000 children of the South Pasadena community for free, with the Friends of the Library serving as a major underwriter. The program is hosted by the South Pasadena Public Library and provides free literacy engagement to local youth.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves approximately 2000 children annually through the Summer Reading Program for free
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use South Pasadena Library
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
South Pasadena Library technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
South Pasadena Library partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
South Pasadena Library competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- First Book: A nonprofit that provides books and educational resources to children in underserved communities — comparable book-and-literacy funding mission and donor-supported nonprofit structure, but at national scale and focused on equity-driven distribution.
- Reading Is Fundamental: A national children's literacy nonprofit that distributes books and funds literacy programs — comparable youth-literacy program underwriting (analogous to the Friends' Summer Reading Program) but operates nationally rather than serving a single community.
Broad incumbents
- Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh: A multi-branch public library system with its own foundation and Friends affiliate — comparable mission (public library support) but operates at substantially greater scale and as the library itself rather than a strictly volunteer-led support org.
- American Library Association: The largest U.S. nonprofit membership association supporting public, academic, and school libraries — broader than the Friends organization but operates in the same library-support ecosystem and shares overlapping audience of library advocates and donors.
Direct peers
- The Seattle Public Library Foundation: A nonprofit foundation that funds programs, collections, and capital needs for the Seattle Public Library, operating with tiered giving, named funds, and endowment campaigns — a structurally similar library-support fundraising model.
- Friends of the Columbus Metropolitan Library: Member-supported nonprofit that raises funds for the Columbus Metropolitan Library through an annual book sale, memberships, and donations — directly analogous bookstore-and-membership fundraising structure.
- Friends of the Hennepin County Library: A county-level Friends organization that raises funds and volunteers for the Hennepin County (Minneapolis-area) public library — directly analogous mission, member-based fundraising, and used-bookstore operations.
- Boston Public Library Foundation: A 501(c)(3) supporting organization for the Boston Public Library, raising private funds for collections and programs — directly comparable as a public library's nonprofit fundraising counterpart.
- Friends of the San Francisco Public Library: A volunteer-driven 501(c)(3) fundraising arm that supports San Francisco's public library system — directly comparable structure (Friends-of-the-Library model, bookstore, tiered memberships, programs underwriting) but at a much larger urban scale.
- Friends of the Dallas Public Library: A volunteer-led Friends group that funds and advocates for the Dallas Public Library system via memberships, used-book sales, and special events — essentially the same operating model as the South Pasadena Friends.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
South Pasadena Library social profiles
Digital presenceSouth Pasadena Library financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
South Pasadena Library leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
South Pasadena Library funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
South Pasadena Library M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about South Pasadena Library
What does South Pasadena Library do?
The Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library raises funds and increases public awareness in support of the South Pasadena Public Library's services and programs. It does so primarily through a volunteer-run Friends Bookstore (the largest funding source, generating approximately $40,000 per year), a tiered annual membership program, multiple donation funds, and a self-financed Restoration Concert Series, while underwriting community programs such as the Summer Reading Program that serves approximately 2,000 children annually.
Is South Pasadena Library a public or private company?
South Pasadena Library is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was South Pasadena Library founded?
South Pasadena Library was founded in 1950. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is South Pasadena Library based?
South Pasadena Library is headquartered in South Pasadena, United States, in the North America region.
How does South Pasadena Library make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Bookstore Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership Fees, general Donations and restoration Concert Series.
Who are South Pasadena Library's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are First Book and Reading Is Fundamental. Broad incumbents are Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and American Library Association. Direct peers are The Seattle Public Library Foundation, Friends of the Columbus Metropolitan Library, Friends of the Hennepin County Library, Boston Public Library Foundation, Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and Friends of the Dallas Public Library.
Does South Pasadena Library have an API?
No public API is recorded for South Pasadena Library.
What industry is South Pasadena Library in?
South Pasadena Library's product category is Public Library Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIACAO, Public Libraries & Information Services, with a secondary code of EDALAOAB, Fundraising & Annual Giving. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.