There are so many stories being written in Cedar Falls, and we want to be a part of all of them, whether that is as a footnote or an entire chapter. We are here to empower our patrons, serve as a vital community touchstone, and facilitate connections.  At the Cedar Falls Public Library, we know that the long-term health of any library is dependent on the ongoing health and support of the community it is in, and we truly appreciate the support we receive.

Shop the Book Nook

The Book Nook, which sells used books to everyone, is supported and staffed by volunteers of the Friends of the Cedar Falls Public Library. It is the primary fundraiser to meet many of the special needs of the library such as financing youth programs. Profits since their October 1994 opening exceed that of their annual book sale. Book donations may be brought to the Book Nook during business hours or dropped off in the library's atrium. 

Donate:

Please review our Gift and Donor Recognition Policy.

Cedar Falls Community Foundation

Inspire. Invest. Impact. These are the tenets of the Cedar Falls Community Foundation (CFCF). CFCF makes Cedar Falls a better place, helps donors financially, enlarges the hearts of those who give, and encourages others to give. The Cedar Falls Public Library has four funds or endowments through the Cedar Falls Community Foundation: Cedar Falls Public Library Endowment, Mary Beckman Endowment, the Kathryn Ray Endowment, and the Robert and Shirley Berg Endowment. Learn more about the funds here: Cedar Falls Community Foundation

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library Fund

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library is a book-gifting program that mails free, quality books to children from birth until age five. Just $32 provides one book per month for one child for a whole year. A donation of $156 provides monthly books for one child from birth until they turn five years old. All funds raised locally stay in the community and directly purchase books for local children. Donate here, and learn more here. 

Planned Giving

You can have a lasting legacy of support for the library by including the Cedar Falls Public Library in your will or estate plan. Planned gifts can show a lifetime of caring and be in the form of a bequest or endowment fund. Contact director@cedarfallslibrary.org for more information.

Honors/Memorials

Keep a loved one’s story alive by giving a gift in honor or memory of them. If a donation is for the collection, their name will be attached to the record(s) of the items purchased with the donation. Additionally, a memorial book plate will be inserted into the cover or case of the physcial item. Complete and return this form. 

Book Donor Wall

Have you ever noticed the book bricks on the exterior of the library building or the book donor wall by the self-checkout? Would you like to sponsor or "own" one of these book bricks and be added to our Book Donor Wall?

In the early 2000s while fundraising for the library's new building, community members and groups were able to purchase book bricks with specific titles on them, which were later installed on the library's exterior. Then, their names were added to our Book Donor Wall. While many of the books brick titles were claimed, there are still many titles available! Contact the Kelly Stern, the library director, at director@cedarfallslibrary.org to see what titles are available.

Pricing:

Small Book Brick: $900 - $2,999 Large Book Brick: $3,000 - $9,999

Books/Materials: 

Materials that are moldy, falling apart, or otherwise in no condition to sell should not be donated to the Library or the Book Nook.

The Library or the Book Nook is happy to accept:

• Hardcover books for all ages
• Paperback books for all ages
• Puzzles and games that are complete and in good condition
• CDs and DVDs

*The Library does not take magazine donations, but the Book Nook will take magazines published within the current calendar year. However, they will not accept donations of National Geographic due to the large volume of donations they receive of this title.

**Donations shall meet the same selection criteria as purchased materials. The library retains unconditional ownership of all donations and makes the final decision on acceptance, use, or disposition. The appraisal of the gift for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor (Collection Development Policy).

Recycling Options

When all other options are exhausted, the best thing to do for old books is recycle them. As blasphemous as this may seem, it's better for the environment (and library staff) to recycle books and other printed materials that are moldy or mildewed, damaged, or otherwise unusable.

Magazines and books (with the covers and binding removed) can be recycled at the State Street Transfer Station 

Craft Materials:

Unless we have advertised the need for craft supplies/recycled materials, always email a librarian before dropping off items.

Volunteer:

There are various volunteer opportunities at the Cedar Falls Public Library. The most common volunteer tasks include: 

• Preparing crafts for various youth programs (knowledge of how to use a Cricut is helpful)
• Cleaning the youth playhouse area and the toys, which include LEGO, play food, marble run tracks, play tools, and the like. 
• Assisting in the installation of the Big Woods Lake StoryWalk®. This task involves a lot of bending and being out in various weather conditions.
• Participating in the Traveling Tales Program. Take storytime on the go! Our Traveling Tales volunteers visit daycares, preschools, and kindergarten classrooms and read to the students. They bring one of our themed storytime kits, which contains a selection of books and a few simple activities.  If you’d like to volunteer to read to students in the CF Public School District, you must fill out their application in addition to ours. Background in children's education preferred.
• Being part of Team Fable.  

Fill out our volunteer application and background check form, and return them to the reference desk or email them to volunteers@cedarfallslibrary.org. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out!

Become a Friend!

Be our friend! The Friends of the Cedar Falls Public Library is an organization of volunteers who work to support the library and its mission. They cultivate a love of learning and celebrate the joy of reading by supporting library services for the community. As an official Friend of the Library, there are various ways you can volunteer your time:

• Help at special library programs
• Attend/Facilitate a book club
• Staff the Book Nook
• Plan/assist with fundraising events
• Promote the library and its merch!

Contact friends@friendscfpl.org for more information or donate to them here! 

Advocacy

The Cedar Falls Public Library is grateful for the support of our community. The purpose of this section is to outline resources to promote the importance and value of the Cedar Falls Public Library. These tools have been compiled to make it as easy as possible to share your support for the library with your friends, family, and community.

Advocacy helps to:

• Inform public library users and the community about library services and their value
• Demonstrate how public library services improve the lives of people in the community
• Ensure libraries have resources to continue offering these important services
• Secure a place at the table for library leaders where important funding and policy decisions are made

What can advocacy look like?

Advocacy can take many forms. It can be as simple as wearing our merch and talking to your friends, families, and neighbors about how much you love the library and why. Regular and consistent advocacy with community members and, especially, stakeholders means there is a greater chance of being top of mind when important decisions are being made. This is important because it ensures we continue to have the means necessary to serve as a vital community resource supporting all community members.

Advocacy Contact List 2025