Friends of Hackley Public Library is a nonprofit organization established in 1973 to support Hackley Public Library, stimulate interest in reading and literacy, help promote the Library's services, and enhance the cultural life of the Muskegon, Michigan, area community.

Friends an active group comprised of 100% community volunteers with a strong 40-year history of successful fund raising for library projects and programs. 

We provide $20,000 each year to support hundreds of free programs for children and adults, including programs that focus on early literacy, history, and music, as well as technology classes and author visits.  Friends also supports cultural enrichment in Muskegon through the annual Charles H. Hackley Distinguished Lecture in the Humanities. 

Friends are good stewards of our 126-year-old historic building.
Examples of our past projects:

• $190,000 for the acquisition and renovations of the Torrent House, where the Local History and Genealogy Department currently resides.
  
• $120,000 to restore the Library's stained glass windows.
• $104,000 for renovations in the Youth Services Department.
• Our current campaign is to raise $100,000 to "reinvent" the Library's lower level into a community gathering space for library programs and for use by community groups. 

Annual Library Commitment

​At our annual meeting last month, past-President Marti Balgooyen presented a check for $25,000 to Library Director, Joe Zappacosta. These funds are part of our annual commitment to HPL to support youth and adult programming all year long. The board also approved an additional $5,000 this year for community engagement activities.