About Us
"The Circle of Giving"
Without you, there is no “us.”
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Your membership, monetary donations, bequests, donations of books, purchases at the bookstore, volunteer skills, and participation in special events provide the financial support for the programs and activities of the Moorpark City Library.
The circle is completed when you, the community, enjoy the exciting and innovative programs provided for Moorpark's children, young adults, and adults.
What We Do
Serving Moorpark
MFOTL works closely with the City, the Library, schools, and other Moorpark charitable organizations not only to promote literacy and a deep love of learning, but also to engender enthusiasm, excitement, and fun in the process.
Over the years, MFOTL has steadily increased funding for:
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Book clubs and reading programs at every level
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Introduction to new technologies
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Creative arts
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Hosting guest authors
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Annual community events, such as the Holiday PJ Party (pictured above), Harry Potter Festival, and Summer Learning Program
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Publicizing to focus the attention and interest of the public on the services of the library, as well as upon its needs
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Continued support from local members of the community like you makes this possible.
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MFOTL History
A 100+ Year Legacy
In 1910, the Moorpark Women’s Fortnightly Club (MWFC) purchased land on Charles Street from Mr. M.L. Wicks to build a clubhouse, with the stipulation that it would include a library. Mr. Wicks also donated 100 books to start the Moorpark Library. This was an extraordinary achievement by members of a “farming” community, without assistance from large charitable organizations such as the Carnegie Foundation.
By 1979, the library was housed in a storefront on High Street, and plans were afoot to erect its own building. Local activist Joy Cummings assembled a strong and vocal group who lobbied for a better design, resulting in the first portion of the current library. Thus was born the “friends” of the library, with Joy as its first president. The “friends” morphed into the Moorpark Friends of the Library in 1981, when its official IRS nonprofit organization status was attained. The Friends contributed to the expansion of the Library in 1985. Again the Moorpark community demonstrated its commitment to literacy and libraries.
The legacy continues, well into the 2nd century of MWFC, with support and duality of membership between the two organizations. MFOTL’s small (but mighty) group has persisted over the past 43+ years to overcome the local and national financial ups and downs, maintaining its essential mission to support the library and the community.