Friends of the San Francisco Public Library

10/06/2026

Meet the 2026–2027 Lisa Brown and Daniel Handler Residents!

Friends of the San Francisco Public Library, in partnership with McSweeney’s, is thrilled to announce the five writers chosen for this year’s residency:

Ha Kiet Chau - Poetry
Evelyn Ch’ien - Fiction
Natalie Ekdahl - Children’s Illustration
Fernando Ona - Playwriting
Diana Valenzuela - Nonfiction

This year, we received a record-breaking 107 applications, more than double last year’s 42. Thank you to everyone who applied and shared their work with us. We’re so excited to welcome this new cohort and see what they create and bring to our Library community over the year ahead. Welcome, Ha, Evelyn, Natalie, Fernando, and Diana!

And you’ll have a chance to hear from them soon! Join us at Lit Crawl San Francisco on October 24 for an evening of original work from the residents!

Blondie’s Bar
October 24
Phase 2 | 6:30–7:30 PM

10/03/2026

🎃Monthly Book Sale, October Edition🎃

Friday, October 2 & Saturday, October 3
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Friends Donation Center (1630 17th Street)

Join us for our Monthly Book Sale at the Friends Donation Center! Browse thousands of books across all genres: fiction, nonfiction, kids’ books, cookbooks, art, history, and more. Whether you're a serious collector or just love a good bargain, you’re sure to find something special. See you there!
Have used books or media to donate? Visit friendssfpl.org/donatebooks to make an appointment!

09/25/2026

Last weekend to see Hamburger Eyes at SFPL 👀

The exhibition closes this Sunday, but you can keep a piece of it with you. Our SFPL × Hamburger Eyes hoodies are still available now at SFPLstore.com! Every purchase supports Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and our work to support SFPL.

09/02/2026

🚵‍♂️Monthly Book Sale, September Edition🚵‍♂️
Friday, September 4 & Saturday, September 5
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Friends Donation Center (1630 17th Street)

Join us for our Monthly Book Sale at the Friends Donation Center! Browse thousands of books across all genres: fiction, nonfiction, kids’ books, cookbooks, art, history, and more. Whether you're a serious collector or just love a good bargain, you’re sure to find something special. See you there!
Have used books or media to donate? Visit friendssfpl.org/donatebooks to make an appointment!

08/05/2026

We're thrilled to see the Chinatown/Him Mark Lai Branch featured by SFGATE! This renovation will preserve this historic landmark while creating an incredible new space for generations to come.

Friends of the San Francisco Public Library is proud to lead the $2 million fundraising campaign to furnish and equip the renovated branch, and thanks to our incredible supporters, we're already more than 40% of the way to our goal. If this library has touched your life, or if you believe in preserving this treasured community space for future generations, we'd love for you to join us. We invite you to make a gift in support of the Chinatown/Him Mark Lai Branch renovation.

Read the story, learn more about the campaign, and make a gift through the link in our bio.https://www.sfgate.com/local/article/sf-chinatown-library-closure-22371927.php

08/05/2026

The August Monthly Book Sale is almost here! 📚

Looking for your next great read? Join us at the Friends Donation Center for thousands of gently used books at incredible prices!

Friday, August 7 & Saturday, August 8
12:00-5:00 PM
Friends Donation Center, 1630 17th Street, San Francisco

Browse every genre, from fiction and nonfiction to children's books, cookbooks, art, history, and so much more. Whether you're searching for a hidden gem or just love a good bargain, there's something for everyone. Have books or media you'd like to donate? Schedule a donation appointment at friendssfpl.org/donatebooks.
See you at the sale! ❤️📚

07/22/2026

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN! 

Friends of the San Francisco Public Library and McSweeney’s are now accepting applications for the 2026–2027 Lisa Brown & Daniel Handler Residency. This year-long residency supports five San Francisco writers with creative workspace, literary community, and opportunities to collaborate with the San Francisco Public Library. As part of our new partnership with McSweeney’s, work from the incoming cohort will be featured in a special insert in McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern. Writers of all genres are encouraged to apply, including fiction, poetry, nonfiction, journalism, children’s literature, illustration, comics, and more. 

Applications are now open, and close on August 10, 2026. 

Apply through the link in our bio, and tag a writer who should know about this opportunity.

06/10/2026

Happy Summer Stride! ☀️📚

We're proud to have supported this incredible program since its inception. Summer Stride is one of our key funding areas, and every year we're inspired by the thousands of San Franciscans who take part. Here are just a few photos of the incredible Library staff who make it all possible. Thank you for everything you do to inspire readers across San Francisco!

Happy reading, San Francisco!

06/09/2026

06/05/2026

Join us tomorrow for an afternoon of readings at Thee Parkside as part of the Book Sale Block Party!

We're thrilled to welcome current Residents of the Lisa Brown & Daniel Handler Residency, alongside members of San Francisco's literary community, for an afternoon of stories, poetry, and conversation.

Saturday, June 6, 2–4 PM
📍 Thee Parkside, 1600 17th Street

2–3 PM: Lisa Brown & Daniel Handler Residency Reading
Keli Dailey
Kevin Dublin
Ash Huang
Maya Kini
Akiko Neumann

3–4 PM: Community Readers
Brian Ang
Garrett Caples
Emily Chan
Quyen Pham

Come browse thousands of books at the Book Sale Block Party, then head next door to celebrate some of San Francisco's incredible writers.