Join Friends of the Library

Friends of the Library is a valued and critical partner of Lassen Library. Friends promotes and advocates for the library in the community, serves as the non-profit fundraising arm in support of the library, and can frequently be seen volunteering in the library and at various library programming activities. You do not have to be a Friends member to make tangible or financial donations and those donations are tax-deductible to the extent the law allows. Go to the Lassen County Friends of the Library web page for more information.

Financial Contributions

Your financial contributions support the Library for specific one-time purchases (e.g., support of programming such as visiting performers, children's activities and Summer Reading), and contribute to ongoing expenses such as additions to our book, magazine, and e-magazine collections. Contributions can be made directly to the library, via Friends of the Library memberships and donations, online fund-raising efforts such as Network for Good and United Way and employee contributions to employer community fund-raising programs.

Volunteer Your Time

Volunteers are always needed and welcomed by the staff. Volunteer tasks include keeping shelves organized and clean, supporting programming by helping with event preparation (e.g., preparing crafts for participants), re-shelving books, updating bulletin boards, etc. Contact a staff member for information on the volunteer opportunities at the library.

Donation of Physical Items

The library can often use physical items for support of Library operations, programs or facilities needs. The library has specific needs and won't accept donations of physical items that do not meet those needs. Contact the Library Director at 257-8113 to inquire about or arrange for physical donations.

Computers for patron and staff use
The library strives to keep its computer technology current by following an annual weeding of its oldest technology. Each year the library would need 3-5 computers to meet this goal..

The library currently acquires Dell Optiplex business class computers and will accept the donation of a physical computer if it meets or exceeds the specifications of the Dell Optiplex, which are generally described below:

• • Intel Core i5 processor
  • 16 GB of memory (RAM)
  • 500 GB hard drive storage
  • Windows 10 Professional (some library computer applications are not compatible with Windows 10 Home, but the library may accept a Windows Home computer if it can depending on how it might be used)
  • Computer must be new enough to meet the specifications for upgrading to Windows 11 Pro.

Books (New and Used) 

The Library does not have the financial resources to have a book buying budget. All new items added to the library's collections come from grants, certain books programs by the State Library, Friends of the Library and donations by members of the community.. The twice-annual book sales are one way the community can contribute books as the funds raised go towards the purchase of new materials. Consider donating your gently used books for addition to the collection or to stock the used book sales.

Book Donation Guidelines

The Library gratefully accepts donations of books and other materials for its collections.

Acceptable materials include hard- and soft-bound books of fiction, non-fiction, and large type, and videos in the DVD and Blu-Ray formats, for all age groups.

Due to space limitations and low demand we do not accept:

• • VHS tapes, audio tapes
  • Reader's Digest condensed books
  • Encyclopedias
  • Text books, student workbooks or study guides
  • Professional manuals

Rules of Thumb
If you wouldn't buy it or give it to a friend, think twice about donating it to the library.
Condition matters. The library usually won't accepted any item that is:

• • Dirty
  • Moldy
  • Burnt
  • Water damaged
  • Missing covers/pages; damaged binding
  • Has excessive writing/marking

If in doubt please ask a staff member about the acceptablity of a possible donation before bringing it to the library.