The library provides its basic resources free of charge thanks to the support of our Mayor and City Council members. Many of the programs and special services that make the library so popular from Student Smart to Live Homework Help are funded by the Library Foundation of Los Angeles and its support groups including The Council and Young Literati. The library foundation was created in 1992 to raise funds that enhance, but do not supplant, city funding. This year, the foundation raised more than $4.5 million. Major fundraising events included the 14th Annual Library Awards dinner honoring distinguished journalist Tom Brokaw, library supporter Veronique Peck, publisher Larry Kirshbaum and Union Bank.

Funds from the library foundation and its supporters have expanded the library's collections, technology, reading enrichment efforts, cultural events, exhibitions, and other programs.

As we look to the future, we know that just as more people rely on the library for its resources, the library will increasingly rely on the foundation and its supporters to help meet the growing demand for its services and programs. Working together, the Los Angeles Public Library and the Library Foundation of Los Angeles can continue to help record numbers of people not just survive, but also thrive, in this challenging economy.