About the Foundation

The Wauwatosa Public Library is the heart of our community, and it’s the Wauwatosa Public Library Foundation’s mission to keep the Library strong and flourishing. Your gift to the Foundation supports programs that nurture a lifelong passion for reading and provide essential services to community members of all ages. Together, we can create and maintain this special place where neighbors can read, learn, work, create, congregate and share ideas.

Gifts of all amounts help expand minds and enrich lives. If you would like to make a donation, please click the button below.

Leadership Event

Each year we hold a leadership event to present the Wauwatosa Public Library Foundation Award to a citizen who has made a positive impact in our community, and Leadership Awards to area high school students. This year, we are pleased to present our 25th Silver Jubilee Leadership Event at the Wisconsin Club on Thursday evening, November 19, 2026. 

Annual Campaign

Our sole purpose is to raise funds to enhance the Wauwatosa Library’s programs and services beyond what tax dollars provide. The annual campaign is our primary way of raising those funds. Thanks to the gifts provided by supporters like you, the Foundation has been able to purchase computers, high-tech furnishings, an electronic check-out system, and construct the Story Room and Student Commons.

What Happens When a Community Invests in Its Library?

Discover how the Wauwatosa Public Library Foundation is helping fund innovative programs, new technology, welcoming spaces, and essential resources for our library. Read our fact sheet to see the impact of donor support and the difference it makes every day.