How does the NPL Foundation relate to the Friends?

The Norwell Public Library Foundation (NPLF) and the Friends each provide vital sources of revenue for the NPL and we hope that you will support both organizations! 

The Friends of the Norwell Public Library is its own 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that runs the used bookstore located in the NPL lobby. Proceeds from book sales, along with annual fundraisers and appeals, raise funds to pay for nearly ALL of the annual programming at the library: Raising a Reader with Big Ryan, Little Bee Yoga, concerts, Dinner and a Movie, Summer Reading Program, Make and Take crafts, and so many more.

There were nearly 600 different programs held at the library in 2025 most of which were paid for by the Friends! They also purchase museum passes—giving library card holders free access to Boston area museums like the Boston Children’s Museum, Museum of Science, and the New England Aquarium. 

The NPL Foundation focuses not on programming, but on supporting the Library’s operating and capital budgets. While the Town of Norwell must provide a baseline level of funding to maintain state certification, it is not required to fund the library at the level necessary to sustain the state-of-the-art, facility and high quality circulating materials that we enjoy today. The NPL Foundation helps bridge that gap: providing short-term funding for essential resources such as new books and materials and long-term support for capital needs.

We have a new library! Why would I need to donate?

The Norwell Public Library comprises only 1% of the annual Town of Norwell budget. This covers all the library’s operations. With the failure of the recent override, that budget was decreased by roughly 9.5%, meaning:

• no more Sunday hours

• inadequate funding for new material acquisition

• less money for building maintenance

With every Town department competing for fewer dollars, the Library falls to the bottom of the priority list behind schools, police, fire, highway, and other essential services.

Our “new” library is fast approaching 5 years old, and capital investment needs are on the horizon.

Please join us as we invest in this spectacular community resource: a state-of-the-art facility and welcoming space for all, that offers patrons so much more than just books.