Friends of the Cambridge Public Library is a volunteer-driven membership organization open to all library-lovers. The Friends raise funds for special projects, community events, acquisitions, and new technologies. In many cases, the Friends enable the library to provide services that go beyond the scope of city and state budgets and to respond quickly as new programming opportunities arise, including technology and software updates, author events, and reading programs. Their primary annual fundraiser is a self-guided, self-paced tour of extraordinary local gardens called Secret Gardens of Cambridge, which is open to the general public.

Volunteer activities have included:

• Event setup and breakdown

• Tabling to provide information and to sell event tickets  

• Board membership