In 1938, four volunteers came together to create in a small building on Maple Avenue what is now the North Castle Public Library. The group, which became The Friends of the North Castle Public Library, Inc. (“The Friends”), conceived, constructed, stocked and staffed the Library, which had moved to its current location on Whippoorwill Road, until it was turned over to the Town of North Castle in 1956. In the 1980s, the Friends oversaw a major expansion of the Library building and the addition of the 186-seat Whippoorwill Theater.
The Friends consists predominantly of residents of the Town of North Castle in Westchester County, New York. In 1993, The Friends was incorporated as a not-for-profit corporation. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization, contributions to which are fully deductible. Its mission is as follows:
- To raise funds in order to provide our libraries with programs, equipment and needed enhancements not covered by the budget;
- On occasion, to provide “seed” funding for new programs and activities until they can become self-sustaining;
- To work together with the Library Trustees and staff in order to help bring about the realization of the Library’s long-range plan; and
- To encourage support for, participation in and greater use of our libraries by residents of our community and beyond.
The Friends’ programs and activities are administered by its directors, officers and many volunteers. The Friends raises funds to support its goals by producing the annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show and through twice-yearly fundraising appeals, corporate sponsorships and revenues from various activities. The organization underwrites all programming presented by non-staff at the Armonk and North White Plains libraries and provides much of the furnishings.
The Friends’ major fundraising event is the annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show. Begun in 1961, the Art Show started as a local show in the library parking lot, with paintings hung on snow fencing. It has since expanded to a 204-booth juried event held on 10 acres at North Castle Community Park, with outstanding artists coming from coast to coast and around the world. With oversight by Executive Director Nicole Blum and the Art Show co-chairs, more than 200 volunteers run the Art Show, which for many is a year-long project of organization and implementation. The Armonk Outdoor Art Show is now one of the most prestigious art shows in the United States and has been ranked for two years in a row as #2 in the nation.
For more than 80 years, the Friends has been a vibrant part of the public-private partnership of the North Castle Public Library -- an intellectual, cultural and social center for the community and its Westchester County neighbors.