Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System

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Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System

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www.jointhefriends.org

Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that supports Howard County Library System in its mission to deliver high-quality public education for all ages. Friends & Foundation of Howard County Library System (HCLS) is a nonprofit organization that supports HCLS in its mission to deliver high quality education for all ages.

11/03/2026

November is National Gratitude Month and we want to take the opportunity to say thank you for being a Friend! Because of your support in 2026, Howard County Library System was able to bring impactful programs like The Longest Table, Beyond Words, Project Literacy, HCLS Spelling Bee, Battle of the Books and more to our community.

Whether you’ve participated in our annual fundraisers, followed us on social media, or joined Friends at the member level, your support has helped make a difference in Howard County.

10/30/2026

Happy Halloween from your Friends!

Special shout out to the Bauder Adult Battle of the Books Night 1 costume contest winners, Lil Cougars, for their ferocious attire. Way to bring it to the battlefield, ladies!

More fun costumes to come in the following weeks. Stay tuned!

10/29/2026

And that's a wrap on the 2026 Bauder Adult Battle of the Books! 🏆📚

Across three nights, teams brought their best trivia instincts, their love of reading, and plenty of community spirit to the battlefield — and we couldn't be more grateful to everyone who competed, cheered, and showed up to make this event so special.

None of this would be possible without our Friends.

Whether you've supported us through a membership, a donation, or your time as a volunteer, we thank you. You're the reason Friends is the premier partner of HCLS and can support so many impactful programs for our community. And to our fabulous venues and local partner bookshops, Backwater Books and Queen Takes Book, we loved having you involved this year!

10/27/2026

Round two, is in the books! 📚⚔️Photos to come!

Only one battle remains! Good luck to tonight’s final competitors. May your trivia instincts be strong and your book knowledge stronger! Time to lock in.

10/26/2026

Night one of the Bauder Adult Battle of the Books was quite the event! Teams brought their best trivia instincts, their competitive spirit, and plenty of fun to the battlefield. Take a look at some highlights from the evening here.

Congratulations to Night 1 champions, Bookworms Connect, for taking home the win for the second year in a row! 🏆

Special thanks to Reckless Shepherd Brewery for the excellent hospitality.

Now, it's on to round two. Best of luck to tonight's Night 2 competitors — bring your A-game, and may the trivia gods be in your favor!

10/22/2026

Did you know a $35 annual Friends membership helps power some of Howard County Library System's most beloved programs?

Battle of the Books, the Spelling Bee, author events, Summer Reading, and more — all made possible by Friends like you.

One HCLS parent shared how Battle of the Books shaped her daughter's love of reading: "My 10-year-old loved bonding with friends over books... and participating in the excitement of the well-orchestrated event itself."

This Friends of Libraries Week, consider becoming a Friend for just $35 a year. Link in comments.

10/21/2026

Do you have a little Mozart in the making? What about a budding Beethoven or Bach? If so, treat them to a concert at the Howard County Library System Miller Branch this Saturday, October 24th at 3 PM.

Music lovers ages 5 - 10 years old (with family member) are invited to celebrate music and storytelling with local teen musicians from Garden Orchestra. Enjoy a live music performance by the talented teens and then experience a reading of a beloved children's book brought to life by the magic of music!

This event – sponsored by Friends & Foundation of HCLS – is free to attend. View details at the HCLS website (link in comments). Stay tuned for details about the Orchestra Adventure this November at the Glenwood Branch. Follow us to stay in the know!

10/20/2026

Let the Battle begin! ⚔️📚

Tonight marks night one of the Bauder Adult Battle of the Books, and we couldn't be more excited! Teams have trained, trivia is ready, and the only thing left to do is battle it out for reading glory.

To the victor go the spoils (and bragging rights until next year 😉). Good luck to tonight's competitors. May your instincts be sharp and your book knowledge sharper!

Stay tuned to our social pages for updates on tonight's winning teams and highlights from the evening.

10/19/2026

Happy Friends of Libraries Week!

Want to know an easy way you can be a friend to our Howard County Library System? Like and follow Friends of HCLS on Facebook & Instagram to see the programs, events, and community impact your support makes in Howard County. Your engagement helps us grow the circle of support for Friends which, in turn, helps our library community strong.

Thank you for being a Friend!

10/15/2026

Did you know Howard County Library System and the Howard County Public School System work together to give every student a strong start? It's called the A+ Partnership, and it's one of the many ways HCLS shows up for local students, from their very first days of school onward.

Through this partnership, every child in HCPSS is automatically signed up with a digital library card which gives them access to books and online resources right from the start. The A+ Partnership also supports initiatives like the Kindergarten preparedness programs, live homework help for all students, and the fall kindergarten field trip, where HCPSS students visit their local library. 🚌📖💻

Friends & Foundation is proud to help support initiatives like these, ensuring HCLS can continue meeting Howard County students exactly where they are.

Consider becoming a Friend today to help HCLS keep building a strong foundation for the next generation of readers.

Address

9411 Frederick Road
Ellicott City, MD
21042

Website

https://www.friendshcls.org/

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