About Us

Our Mission

The Friday Memorial Library seeks to be a dynamic and friendly hub for the community.  We are a gathering place for people in the New Richmond area to learn, explore and connect. We offer books, movies and music, as well as exciting programs for all ages. 

We envision a community that is engaged and active, seeking to work together to realize our shared goals and dreams. 

The Friday Memorial Library is located in New Richmond, Wisconsin. We serve area residents who live within the city limits (pop. 9,167) as well as those who reside outside the city in the surrounding towns. Our total service population is approximately 26,000.

Our History

The first public library in New Richmond was organized in the early 1890s, by a group of citizens. The library’s first location was in the back of a drugstore owned by Bell Aldrich, and the library was staffed entirely by volunteers. Fritz Friday gave the generous donation, in honor of his father Carleton A. Friday, which allowed the present facility to be built in Glover Park, across from the New Richmond City Hall on First Street. This building was completed in 1963 and expanded in 1989.