Although the Foundation’s offices have moved to the beautifully refurbished Clayton Guest House in the Museum District, its mailing address remains 500 McKinney, Houston, Texas 77002. Its phone number is 832.393.1450.
The Houston Public Library Foundation focuses on increasing the Houston community’s awareness of the vital role our public library plays in Houston’s quality of life. While the City of Houston pays for the bulk of the Library’s expenses, the Foundation contributes significant funding for books and materials, programming, critical staff development and training, communications materials and building refurbishment. Please help by contributing.
Through advocacy and fundraising, the Houston Public Library Foundation supports the Library’s wide range of initiatives, with particular emphasis on its neighborhood libraries. In cooperation with the City, the Foundation is funding design and construction of a new much-needed community meeting room in the Elizabeth L. Ring Neighborhood Library on Long Point in Spring Branch.
The Foundation funds programming and resources for the Library’s three HPL Express Libraries, Central Library, the Houston Metropolitan Research Center in the Julia Ideson Building, the Parent Resource Library within the Children’s Museum of Houston, and the Clayton Library, Center for Genealogical Research. It also supports projects such as the Houston Public Library/Houston Public Library Foundation annual report, available online in English and Spanish.
The assets of the Houston Public Library Board were moved to the Foundation, a 501 (c)(3) created in August 2006, to more actively support all aspects of the Houston Public Library. Susan Bischoff, a former senior editor of the Houston Chronicle and long-time community volunteer, became its first staff member in January 2007. The Foundation board members are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by City Council. The Mayor, Superintendent of the Houston Independent School district, and President of the Friends of the Houston Public Library are ex-officio non-voting members. The Friends of the Houston Public Library joined the Houston Public Library Foundation July 1, 2007.
Cathryn Rodd Selman
Chair
Harriet Calvin Latimer
1st Vice Chair
Anne Shen Chao
2nd Vice Chair
Jesse H. Jones II
Treasurer
Juanita Elizondo
Secretary
E. Fred Aguilar, III
Zarine M. Boyce
Bonnie Gayle Brooks
Franklin D. R. Jones, Jr.
Patricia J. Lasher
Alison Leland
Annette Mullins
Tina Arias Peterman
Ann Short
J.S. Stone, II, M.D.
Robert B. Tudor, III
Lisa Mouton Wallace
Cyvia Wolff
Mayor Bill White
Ex-Officio
Dr. Abelardo Saavedra, Superintendent HISD
Ex-Officio
Diane Durbin, President, Friends of the Houston Public Library
Ex-Officio
Rhea Brown Lawson, Ph.D.
HPL Director
Susan Bischoff
HPLF President