The FOLM was formed in 2001 and initially was heavily focused on supporting the expansion of the library which was at that point only 20% or so of its current size.  Following the successful expansion of the library the FOLM group focused on supporting children’s programs. This led to the creation on the current annual Children’s Book Exchange.   With the arrival of a new library director in 2016, the FOLM has expanded in membership and to support the full scope of the MPL mission.  We act as a charitable pass through for grants and do our own fundraising via used book sales and soliciting sponsors for library programming.  Major recent donations have included $10,000 to add capacity for the remote book lockers (now at the Selma Burke Center), $10,000 for tables at the new West Side Branch Library, and $3,000 worth of A/V equipment to record or live broadcast events like the speaker series.