The Friends of the Marina Library has been a non-profit, public benefit corporation since 1990.

We sell used books to raise funds to support programming and maintenance at the Marina Library and to purchase new books, e-books, and videos for library collections that are available for the entire County library system.

Friends' Community Bookstore: In late 2017, we opened our bookstore: Friends' Community Bookstore located at 330 Reservation Road., across from the Ramada Inn.

At this store, we accept donations of used books, CDs, and DVDs, and we sell the best of these donated materials to the public.
The store is open from Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday 12-4 pm and Saturday, 10 am - 4 pm. Come visit and walk though four rooms of inventory, all beautifully organized.

Lobby Book Sales: Next Lobby Sale at Marina Library is March 3rd,4th, and 5th.

Our bookstore Friends’ Community Books, 330 Reservation Road, has reopened three days a week. Click here for details.

We sell thousands of dollars of donated used books on our Amazon Page - books have traveled to all 50 states and to multiple countries.

We hold free bi-monthly Movie Matinees on the second Saturday in the months of January, March, July, and November at 2 pm. Click on Events Tab at top to see upcoming movie. (Cancelled till further notice)

We host free bi-monthly concerts from 1-3 pm on the second Saturday of February, April, June, October, and December. (Cancelled till further notice)

Click on Events Tab at top to see upcoming concerts.

We host our popular Dads Read in front of the library on the second Saturday of each month from 10 am - 12 pm.

We have a different Dad (or local male leader) read a couple of books to young children and pack the rest of the time with other fun: gymnastics by Shea's Mobile Gym happens each month. We spread out our giant blocks, Thomas the Tank Engine, play kitchen and legos -all on the three-level structure in front of the library. Other local organizations partner with us to provide other fun.

This is a big play date where you don't need to clean up afterwards! Just come and have fun. Fun for toddlers through second or third grade.

By-Laws of The Friends of the Marina Library

To get an easy reminder of all events as they come up, Like the Friends of the Marina Library Facebook page and/or sign up for the Friends' email list.

The Friends of the Marina Library is a member of the Marina Chamber of Commerce.

The Friends of the Marina Library (FOML) Leadership

Board meetings are held the 4th Wednesday of most months from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in our Library's Community Room. Please join us! They are open to the public! Call (831) 682-8016 for more information.

Jill Stoffers
Board President

Jill is a senior manager responsible for partnership development for the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey (MIIS). She has spent her career in student recruitment and admissions, including 20 years at MIIS. She is also an adjunct professor.

Jill has lived in Marina since 2009. In addition to being Board President, Jill chairs the FoML Adult Programming Committee.

Dana Cleary
Board Vice President

Marina resident since 1996. Manages development/construction for CHISPA, Inc. a nonprofit developer of affordable housing. Served on the Larger Library Committee that raised funds for library land purchase and passed the bond that funded construction of the Marina Library. Served on Marina Planning Commission and Marina City Council. Marina Tree and Garden Club board member.

Dani Whitaker
Board Secretary

Dani is a native Californian who found our wonderful FoML organization while attending Monterey Penninsula College to pursue an Associate's Degree in Environmental Engineering. Currently, she attends CSU Stanislaus where she studies geology with a focus on hydrology, and is the part-time research assistant for the head of the Geophysics Department, as well as working on a NASA internship examining atmospheric particles and air quality. When she isn't working or studying, she loves visiting her parents here in Marina and getting outside to play in the river or hiking a new trail up in the mountains.

Kathleen Sacoolas
Board Treasurer

Kathleen will serve as our volunteer Treasurer till June 2023, but must leave us at that time to give herself more time to take the CPA exam. If you are interested in volunteering on the Friends Board as Treasurer and you have bookkeeping or accounting experience, please contact us at cleahoff@gmail.com. The community would benefit from your talents!

Elisabeth Billingsley
At-Large Board Member/Correspondence Secretary

Marina resident since 1961. MPUSD Instructional Aide for 23 years. American Legion board member since 1981. Treasurer for Marina-in- Motion. Volunteer at the Marina Teen Center Breakfast program. Member of Marina Youth Arts. Volunteer at St. Jude's Church. Received Marina Foundation’s 2015 Woman of the Year Award.

Gail Youngblood
At-Large Board Member

Membership Chair and Co-Manager of Friends' Community Bookstore.

Marina resident since 1988. Retired after twenty-two years working on environmental cleanup of Fort Ord, serving as the BRAC environmental coordinator and the Army’s BRAC representative to the Fort Ord Reuse Authority. Serves on the boards of Marina Youth Arts and serves as co-manager of the Friends’ Community Bookstore.

Kristi Lau
At-Large Board Member

Kristi has been a Marina resident since 2008. She and her husband own and manage the Marina Grocery Outlet store. Kristi served as Treasurer for The Friends of the Marina Library for two years and has served as an at-large board member for three years

Marylou Calcagno
At-Large Board Member

Recently retired to Marina from the California central valley. She worked as a certified public accountant for 25 years in Los Angeles, the SF Bay Area, and the San Joaquin Valley. Following a life long passion to teach, she began a new career as an elementary school teacher in 2005. After 17 years teaching, she is now happily retired and looking forward to being part of the Marina community and helping the FoML support the Marina Library.

Moira LaMountain
At-Large Board Member

Marina resident since 2004.Currently works as the office administrator for an economic development nonprofit in Monterey County. Previously spent 15 years as an independent executive recruiter and before that as marketing coordinator for A.T. Kearney, an international management consulting firm for 9 years. Has served on the FoML since 2005 as Vice President (2 years), President (3 years), Treasurer (6 years), Secretary (2 years).

The Librarian of the Marina Branch Library is an Ex-Officio member of the board of The Friends of the Marina Library.