MISSION

The Duluth Library Foundation champions the Duluth Public Library and works to increase its capacity to serve the region.

VISION

A vital and dynamic library serving all people

The Foundation’s strategic plan represents months of engagement, community input, staff and board discussions, and inspiring conversations across stakeholder groups. We greatly appreciate everyone who participated in this planning process. View the Strategic Plan here.

In 1964, the Duluth Public Library was notified that one of its regular visitors, Olga Walker, had died and left the library in her will. The Library Board voted that Mrs. Walker’s gift become the seed money for an endowment to benefit the library in perpetuity and the Duluth Library Foundation was founded in 1990 to manage it. Since then the endowment has grown to more than $2 million. 

Support from generous donors and community partners ensures that the library is able to continue its role as a vital resource for books, digital items, and critical programs while increasing its capacity to respond more nimbly to the emerging needs of the community.

The Duluth Public Library strengthens our community by promoting a love of reading and lifelong discovery, helping ensure children are ready and excited to learn, offering robust connections to the digital world, and providing a creative and welcoming environment for all. Library staff help job seekers, students, researchers, and seniors find the answers they need. The computers, printers, and Internet access available at the library makes it a lifeline for many in our community.