The Friends of the Emmaus Public Library was founded in 1998 after a steering committee comprised of East Penn citizen-volunteers met periodically to lay the foundation for the new group. A charter was drawn up, and Julia Brooks was appointed president of the fledgling organization.

Mission :

- To enrich the life of the East Penn Community by supporting the programs and facilities of the library.
- To provide programs to increase the public's awareness of the library and its value to the community.
- To promote greater use of library resources.
- To serve as a source of credible information regarding the impact of legislative changes on library funding and programs.