Friends of the North Miami Library

What it reported doing in 2025

The Friends of North Miami Library (FNML) continued to offer support to several North Dade libraries: North Miami, Hialeah, North Miami Beach, and the California Club branch of Miami Dade Public Library. Our main support is for the North Miami Library. We fund year-round hands-on gardening workshops covering seasonal topics on how to grow and care for plants. The workshops are led by a Master Gardener, who is a member of FNML. There is a community garden behind the library where volunteers plant, maintain and harvest fruit and vegetables. FNML provides garden supplies and members volunteer to assist with workshops. Friends fund the annual subscription for SWANK public library movie license that allows the library staff to provide movies to patrons including silent movies for teens and for family movie night events. We funded the Teacher Planning Day field trips. Each planning day up to 40 students go on a fun-filled trip. We partnered with the North Miami Knights of Columbus to provide field trip transportation to MLB game and to the movie. Anime Society meets after school to watch, discuss anime, read manga, and play games. FNML provides snacks and supplies for these high school teen participants. The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) is funded by FNML to provide teen art classes at the library led by professional artists. FNML sponsored Storytime with Author Tami Charles. Her book Freedom Soup was given to young readers in attendance. Teens from nearby North Miami High School frequent the library after school. They are part of the NOMI Scholars program that is sponsored by FNML. Staff keep the teens engaged. Each October the teens plan a month of events: Teentober celebration includes dancing, video game tournaments, line dancing, pumpkin carving, costumes, and book giveaways. NOMI Scholar programs including trips and banquet are funded by FNML. Friends also provide supplies and equipment for Girls Who Code Club. The city has many community Little Libraries that the FNML keep stocked by donating books as needed. A new program was implemented this year, Super Dad Saturday. An event designed to celebrate fathers with their children for a day of fun-filled activities, crafts, story time, and food. The 24-hour library kiosk opened outside of a city community center! One of the few in the country. FNML bought books to stock at this kiosk. FNML supports the summer program at four libraries. Beanstack Reading Engagement Software was purchased to track the reading for the challenges. Summer programs are packed with activities and challenges. FNML funded Frost Science Museum Portable Planetarium and Fire and Ice show, Science show, Wild Animal show, Bubble show, Magician, shoe painting, cooking classes, and authors readings. FNML provided sewing machines and supplies for sewing classes at California Club library. This class will continue throughout the year. The Summer Reading Wrap up and Family Fun Day was the finale to a great summer program. Prizes were presented to the winners of the reading challenges. FNML advocates for the library budget and staffing at City Council meetings. We continue to fund staff education by paying for training, workshops and conferences that are not covered by the budget. To show appreciation for the staff we co-sponsor their annual holiday celebration.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: Limited
• Program expense ratio: Limited

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 51st percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Limited

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 8.2%; rating input score 58; 58th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.49; rating input score 31; 31st percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 56; 56th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: Limited
• Revenue growth: 19.1% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -2.3% per year; rating input score 0; 30th percentile among comparable filings