About Us

Who We Are

The Friends of Duncan Library is a volunteer-run 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports the operations of the Duncan Branch Library , located in the heat of Del Ray, Alexandria Virginia.  Membership donations and monies raised by the Friends are used to help fund activities and purchase materials not covered through the City budget.

We always welcome new members — Please join online or pick up a membership form, available at Duncan, across from the circulation desk.  Memberships are tax deductible and  valid for one calendar year.

What We Do

FODL sponsors a variety of educational and enrichment programs that include children’s programming, enhancing the overall collection, a cinema club and poetry society.  Money raised by FoDL primarily supplements the Library’s materials and programming budgets.  Examples on how funds are spent include:

  • Supporting the SummerQuest children’s programs
  • Purchase of juvenile non-fiction materials
  • Purchase of games for after school programs
  • Sponsorship of adult programs including the Cinema Club and the Poetry Society
  • Enhancing the audio book collection
  • Growing the adult fiction collection
  • Sponsorship of community events hosted by Duncan Library

Our primary form of fundraising is through biannual book sales.

Landscaping and Beautification PlanDuncan landscaping

FoDL volunteers actively participate in the maintenance of the Library grounds.  Phase 1 of the Duncan Library Landscaping Plan was completed in 2014 and fully funded by FoDL.  This included the Commonwealth Avenue side entrance, the main entrance of the library.  Trees, shrubs, and perennials were placed to tie the building to its site and add dimension.  Space was left in front of the plantings to allow for the addition of colorful annuals.

The award-winning Circle Garden and Butterfly Garden are part of the second phase of the Landscaping Plan, which also includes an irrigation system as well as replacing several benches that were previously in this area.

The Duncan Branch has won the City’s 2015 Beautification award, for a public building.  The plan was submitted to the City Horticulturist and the Library Administration and it was designed and installed by The Greener Side, paid for by Friends of the Duncan Library. It was presented on Sept. 28 2015.

Read about one volunteer’s determination to beautify Duncan Library