Inspiring Conversations with Kira Baccari of Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kira Baccari.

Hi Kira, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library was founded in 1959. Our Hermosa Beach Library actually predates our City’s incorporation, and despite serving a town of just 20,000, it ranks among the five highest-circulation libraries in LA County. Our Library is not just a place for books; it’s a place anyone can feel safe, learn, explore, pursue their interests, and better themselves.

We operate a small bookstore behind the Hermosa Beach Community Center. Staff and volunteers process thousands of donated books each month; we sell every book for $1 or less. Since the early 2000s, the bookstore has served as a haven where anyone can feel welcomed and explore interests old and new. We’re proud to be the highest-reviewed independent bookstore in the Beach Cities, and the only independent bookstore in Hermosa Beach.

I joined as President in 2024. In 2021-2022, we received a $1.14 million bequest from the Mary E. Hawkins Trust. That gift created both an opportunity and an obligation to build something lasting that honors the Hawkins family’s generosity.

Since 2024, we’ve broadened our work beyond the bookstore. We launched Book READcycle to redistribute donated books to schools and nonprofits across the South Bay. We expanded Hermosa Beach’s Little Free Library network from 14 to 32 locations. We started an Author Series celebrating local literary talent. We created an Archives program to preserve rare books and historical materials documenting Hermosa’s cultural heritage. In 2026, we’re relaunching our scholarship program with awards for high school writers.

Hermosa Beach has a storied literary history: Pynchon, Bukowski, the Insomniac Cafe, Either/Or Bookstore. I feel fortunate to steward an organization that has been part of that fabric for 66 years, and am excited to help revitalize that heritage as Hermosa steps onto the world stage with the upcoming World Cup and Olympics.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
We are deeply appreciative of the City of Hermosa Beach for allocating space to us, initially an 1,100 square-foot bookstore on Bard Street in the early 2000s, which we occupied for two decades before necessitating a relocation and subsequent reduction in size to a 575 square-foot converted structure adjacent to the Community Center. Our successful growth has reached the point where our current premises are no longer adequate to accommodate our expanding programs and the increasing community demand.

We estimate capacity at 15,000 books; our community donated over 100,000 items in 2025 alone. Our volunteers do a remarkable job managing the flow, routing books to our physical store, our online stores (PangoBooks and soon Biblio.com), READcycle partners, and Little Free Libraries around town. When we get additional space, we WILL do more!

COVID and shifting consumer preferences created headwinds. After the pandemic, digital reading reduced both incoming donations and sales. We’ve ridden the wave back up as interest in physical books has rebounded – it’s been wonderful to see communities nationwide embrace bookstores again, both big-box and independent – and it’s been exciting to see community enthusiasm around our programs grow.

We face similar challenges growing nonprofits face: we need more funding and more space. These are good problems after 66 years of service, and the dedication of our supporters is what allows us to think bigger.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
The Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library (HBFoL) is a vital 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been dedicated to serving the community of Hermosa Beach and the wider South Bay area since its founding in 1959. For over six decades, our enduring mission has been to champion and promote literacy, education, culture, and community engagement.

Through the unwavering support of our members, volunteers, and donors, the HB FoL has made a profound financial impact on the Hermosa Beach Library, a cherished branch of the County of Los Angeles Public Library system. Over the past 66 years, we are proud to have granted more than $750,000 to the library. This substantial funding has been instrumental in supporting crucial library programs, purchasing new materials and resources, and enhancing the physical spaces and technological capabilities of the branch, ensuring it remains a vibrant intellectual and cultural hub for all residents.

What We Do

We create pathways for books to reach readers: through a public library with robust programming, through redistribution networks serving schools and families in need, through neighborhood book exchanges, and through bookstores where everyone leaves with a book regardless of means.

Five programs advance the mission:

Library Support: Annual grants to the Hermosa Beach Public Library fund programs, books, and services beyond County allocations. Our 2025-2026 grant totals $30,600, covering 100% of programming for teens and adults while expanding programming for children, toddlers, and infants. In 2025, we funded 37 programs reaching 1,520 participants: storytimes and music for infants; wildlife presentations, craft workshops, and cultural celebrations for children; creative sessions for teens; book clubs, painting classes, and lectures for adults.

Book READcycle: We collect, clean, and redistribute donated books to organizations serving readers who need them. In 2025, READcycle donated over 30,000 books to more than 35 recipients: jails and prisons running literacy programs, senior care facilities, family service agencies, nonprofits serving adults with developmental disabilities, and teachers building classroom libraries.

Little Free Libraries: We grow Hermosa Beach’s network of book-sharing boxes where neighbors take or leave books. We’ve expanded from 14 locations at the start of 2024 to 32, with a goal of 50 by end of 2026 and 125 by our City’s 125th anniversary in 2032. We source funding and stewards, paint the Libraries, install them, and keep them stocked. Research shows Little Free Libraries increase book access and reading rates among children while fostering neighborhood connections.

Author Series: Free public events featuring local authors across genres: thrillers, romance, graphic novels, memoir, business, entertainment. Each event includes panel discussion, Q&A, and direct interaction with authors. In 2025, we hosted five events drawing over 300 attendees. It’s been a joy to celebrate the South Bay’s literary talent and bring readers and writers together.

Archives & Preservation: We digitize and preserve 66 years of organizational records documenting Hermosa Beach’s literary history. We also undertake special preservation projects; in 2025, we completed a year-long restoration of a 145-year-old family Bible, now on display at a local school.

What Sets Us Apart

Every donated dollar goes directly to programs. We cover 100% of operational costs through existing reserves and investment income.

Most Friends of the Library groups run book sales. We do that, plus we operate a regional book redistribution network, build neighborhood reading infrastructure, produce literary programming, undertake preservation work, and fund scholarships. It’s a broad scope for an organization our size, and we’re proud of what our volunteers and supporters make possible.

What We Want Readers to Know
In 2026, we launched a scholarship program with two awards for Beach Cities high school students. We plan to reach 50 Little Free Libraries, host more author events, expand READcycle, grow our bookstore operations, and build our volunteer team.

We’re seeking book-lovers who want to help, authors who want to be featured, and sponsors who want to promote reading, literacy, education, and community in Hermosa Beach. We’d love to hear from you.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
In 2025, Leadership Hermosa Beach recognized HBFoL as an Emerging Leader—a testament to our dedication to accessibility, visibility and consistency in supporting our community!

We measure our impact with both heart and data.

On the qualitative side, we immerse ourselves in the community’s experience. We love seeing the rave reviews for our physical bookstore and PangoBooks shop, and the sheer joy when someone finds that perfect book or opens a package we shipped with care. It’s the simple yet profound connections made through a Little Free Library, the buzz of enthusiasm at our author events, and the inspiring feedback from teachers whose classrooms are enriched by donated books. We observe our growing volunteer team transforming into a vibrant, engaged community. Most importantly, we see children and young adults reading, wondering, playing, and sharing through our K-12 programs. And here’s a fun fact: Everything at our Hermosa Beach bookstore is just $1.00 or less, making every story accessible to all!

On the quantitative side, we track a wide range of outcomes with precision so we can grow deliberately and powerfully. This includes the number of books donated by the community, unique donors, Little Free Libraries installed and stocked, books redistributed through READCycle, funds granted to the Hermosa Beach Library, programs funded, program attendance, total funds raised, donor growth, and author event attendance. This extensive measurement ensures our growth is intentional and impactful.

Pricing:

• Paperback: $0.50
• Hardcover: $1.00
• Children’s: $0.25 (PB), $0.50 (HC)
• Games & Puzzles: $1.00
• Music & Media: $0.50

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hbfol.org
• Instagram: @hermosabeachfol
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HBFOLBookstore/
• Other: https://pangobooks.com/bookstore/hbfol

Image Credits
Nancy Domingues
Alex Seier
Kira Baccari
Google Gemini Nano Banana