Friends of the Multnomah County Library

What Friends of the Multnomah County Library does

Friends of the Multnomah County Library (FOL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1972 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that raises supplemental funding for Multnomah County Library programs through the sale of donated used books and media. The organization operates a dual retail presence consisting of Rose City Reads, a 15,000-item gently used bookstore in East Portland (221 NE 122nd Ave), and the Friends Library Store, a curated gift and used-book shop inside the historic Central Library downtown (801 SW 10th Ave). It supplements in-store sales with an online division selling vintage, rare, signed, and specialty titles through AbeBooks and Amazon marketplaces.

The business model combines four revenue streams: retail book and media sales sourced entirely from community donations, tiered annual memberships ranging from $25 (Individual) to $1,000+ (Benefactor), tax-deductible monetary donations (with Oregon Cultural Trust matching credits), and Fred Meyer Community Rewards affiliate contributions. Operations are heavily powered by volunteers, with the organization receiving over 800 hours of volunteer labor per month, and inventory is acquired at effectively zero cost of goods through public donations channeled via library branches and dedicated donation centers (including 216 NE Knott Street).

Proceeds fund specific Multnomah County Library initiatives, most recently a $200,000 commitment toward the East County Library building project scheduled for completion in Spring 2026, as well as programs such as the Read4Life Adult Summer Reading initiative, the Refugee Dictionary Project, and library staff development. The leadership team, led by Executive Director Jackie Starr, runs a small paid staff (11–50 employees) supported by volunteer coordinators for each store and a dedicated sort room. The organization has no proprietary technology stack, relying instead on standard nonprofit and commerce platforms, and recently expanded its direct community communications via a Substack newsletter launched in April 2026.

Name

Friends of the Multnomah County Library

Legal name

Friends of the Multnomah County Library

Website

https://friends-library.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Friends of the Multnomah County Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1972 that operates two Portland used-bookstores (Rose City Reads and the Friends Library Store) and online sales channels, using donated inventory, memberships, and community giving to fund Multnomah County Library programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Used Bookstore Retail

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Book Retailers and News Dealers (45921)

SIC

Retail-Catalog & Mail-Order Houses (5961)

akta.pro primary industry

Libraries, Archives & Special Collections (BPAGAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

General Bookstores (New Books) (CRALAAAA)

Keywords

• Used bookstore retail
• Library fundraising
• Book donation services
• Nonprofit membership
• Community bookstore

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Book Sales: Revenue from sales of donated gently used books, media (DVDs, LPs, vinyl), and curated gift items at two physical bookstore locations and online marketplaces (AbeBooks, Amazon). Inventory sourced entirely from community donations, keeping cost of goods essentially zero.
2. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees ranging from $25 (Individual) to $1000+ (Benefactor), with sustaining monthly payment options. Members receive 10% discount on all in-store purchases.
3. Monetary Donations: Cash donations from supporters, with tax-deductible status (EIN 93-6097526). Oregon Cultural Trust partnership allows donors to claim state tax credits for matching donations.
4. Fred Meyer Community Rewards: Program linking Fred Meyer Rewards Cards to the organization, generating donations based on shopping activity with no cost to the shopper.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Friends of the Multnomah County Library operates two physical used-book bookstores—Rose City Reads in East Portland and the Friends Library Store inside Central Library—selling donated gently used books, media (DVDs, LPs, vinyl), and curated literary gifts, plus online specialty sales via AbeBooks and Amazon. All sales proceeds fund Multnomah County Library programs and services, including Adult Summer Reading, library building projects, and refugee programs.

Product overview

Friends of the Multnomah County Library operates a dual-channel retail operation centered around two physical bookstores—Rose City Reads in East Portland and the Friends Library Store inside Central Library—alongside an online sales division through Amazon and AbeBooks. The organization generates funds through book and media sales, membership programs, and monetary donations, all of which directly support Multnomah County Library programs and services. Key offerings include a Collector’s Corner for rare and collectible books, a membership program with tiered benefits providing store discounts, and volunteer opportunities spanning creative, technical, and administrative roles. The organization recently launched a Substack newsletter to improve community communication.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rose City Reads: A gently used bookstore located in East Portland with over 15,000 items including books, media, DVDs, and LPs. Voted #4 Best Bookstore in Portland by The Oregonian readers.
• Friends Library Store
• Online & Specialty Sales

Products and services

• Rose City Reads Gently used bookstore in East Portland offering over 15,000 items including fiction, nonfiction, cookbooks, graphic novels, manga, sci-fi, children's books, DVDs, and LPs at discounted prices. Open Tuesday–Saturday 11am–5pm. Proceeds support Multnomah County Library programs.
• Friends Library Store at Central Curated bookstore located inside the historic Central Library lobby in downtown Portland, offering used books, greeting cards, literary gifts, jewelry, and locally made items. Open Friday–Saturday noon–5pm. Caters to tourists and library visitors.
• Online & Specialty Sales Online sales division offering rotating collections of new and recent fiction, nonfiction, textbooks, vintage and signed books, rare titles, and ephemera through Amazon and AbeBooks marketplaces. Sales benefit Multnomah County Library.
• Collector's Corner Specialty collection featuring rare, collectible, first editions, signed copies, and valuable vintage books. Featured weekly on the Rose City Reads Instagram account and excluded from discount promotions.
• Membership Program Annual membership program with six tiers: Individual ($25), Family ($35), Bibliophile ($100), Patron ($250), Sponsor ($500), and Benefactor ($1000+). Members receive a 10% store discount, access to special member events, and voting privileges at Annual Meetings.
• Book & Materials Donation Services Donation intake service accepting gently used books, media, vinyl records, DVDs, and other items from the public. Items can be dropped off at any Multnomah County Library branch (up to 2 bags/boxes) or at the dedicated donation center (up to 5 boxes per day). Inventory accepted includes popular fiction (2016 or newer), classics, graphic novels, children's books, vintage/rare books, DVDs, and vinyl records.
• Monetary Donation & Fundraising Monetary donation program supporting Multnomah County Library programs and services. Includes one-time and recurring gift options, Oregon Cultural Trust tax credit matching, gift memberships, and Fred Meyer Community Rewards linking (organization #GM201). Donations are tax-deductible.

Quantifiable outcome

• Rose City Reads ranked #4 Best Bookstore in Portland by The Oregonian readers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Oregon Cultural TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFriends of the Library is a proud member of the Oregon Cultural Trust, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Members can claim state tax credits for donations to the trust, effectively doubling the impact of their contributions to the Friends organization.
• Fred MeyerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFred Meyer Community Rewards program allows shoppers to link their Rewards Card to Friends of the Library. A percentage of eligible purchases is donated to the organization based on card-linked shopping activity.
• AbeBooksminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOnline marketplace partner for selling vintage, rare, and specialty books. Proceeds from all sales benefit Multnomah County Library.
• AmazonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketplace partner for selling selected book titles online. Proceeds benefit the library system.
• Multnomah County LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary beneficiary of Friends of the Library fundraising. FOL advocates for and supports the public library system, providing supplemental funding for programs and services since 1972. Funded East County Library building ($200,000), Read4Life Adult Summer Reading, library worker appreciation, and numerous other programs.
• East County Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity partnership for local business networking and visibility. FOL participates in chamber spotlight events to engage with East Portland business community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Better World Books: Large-scale online used-book retailer with a social mission (literacy funding) and donation-driven inventory model. Comparable as a donation-sourced used-book seller, though at vastly greater scale and with commercial scope; competes with FOL's online specialty sales channel.
• Powell's Books: Iconic Portland-based independent new and used bookstore, also founded around the same era as FOL. Comparable as the dominant Portland bookstore brand, competing for the same used-book consumer market and donor mindshare; broader scope and significantly larger scale than FOL.
• Strand Bookstore: Iconic independent used-book bookstore with rare-book specialty ('18 Miles of Books'). Comparable as a long-running used and rare-book retailer with strong brand recognition; competes for similar collector and treasure-hunt consumer demand that FOL targets at Rose City Reads.
• ThriftBooks: Largest online used-book retailer in the US, sourcing inventory from library discards and donations. Comparable business model (donation-sourced used books sold online) and direct competitor for FOL's AbeBooks/Amazon specialty listings, though with much broader catalog and scale.
• Half Price Books: National chain of used-book and media retail stores buying inventory from the public. Comparable retail format (buy/donate used books, resell at discount), but operates as a commercial for-profit chain rather than a nonprofit fundraising arm.

Direct peers

• Friends of the San Francisco Public Library: Nonprofit fundraising arm of the San Francisco Public Library that runs used-bookstore operations and membership programs. Direct functional peer: same mission (supplemental library funding), same bookstore-as-fundraiser model, same volunteer and membership revenue mix.
• Friends of the New York Public Library: The fundraising and membership nonprofit for NYPL, including operated retail bookstore channels. Comparable as a large-scale Friends-of-the-Library organization with retail, membership, and donor programs supporting a major urban public library system.
• Friends of the Seattle Public Library: Nonprofit 'Friends of the Library' organization supporting Seattle Public Library through used-bookstore sales and fundraising. Mirrors FOL's exact operating model: volunteer-powered bookstores, membership tiers, and grants to the parent library system, making it the closest structural peer.
• Housing Works Bookstore Cafe: Nonprofit bookstore in NYC whose proceeds fund Housing Works' mission. Mirrors FOL's 'retail-funded nonprofit' structure where bookstore revenue directly subsidizes charitable programs, though Housing Works' mission is homelessness/HIV services rather than libraries.

Emerging players

• Daedalus Books: Discount and remainder book retailer offering overstock and specialty titles online and through catalogs. Comparable as a discount book channel for excess/curated inventory, overlapping with FOL's online specialty sales of vintage, signed, and rare titles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/rosecityreadspdx
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/friends-of-the-multnomah-county-library

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Friends of the Multnomah County Library