Entrepreneurial activities at the Fairfax County Public Library (FCPL) in recent years include:

 Center for the Book
The Center for the Book seeks support through grants, donations and gifts from individuals, foundations, and corporations to advance books and reading through literary events, author appearances, workshops, expositions, discussion series, seminars, and other programs and events related to books and reading.

 The Library Foundation
Since its establishment in 1994, the Foundation has raised more than $7.5 million to enhance the Fairfax County Public Library. In 2003, the Foundation launched its Wish List through Amazon.com of high-demand books, selected by library specialists, that individuals can donate to the library. From January 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009, the Foundation is the sole sponsor of Live Homework Help online tutoring service. This service supports kindergarten through adult learners and provides English and Spanish-speaking tutors.

 The Library Web Site
Serving as a business, reference, and public relations vehicle, the library's award-winning Web site enjoys millions of visits each year.

 Corporate Partners
Gifts and awards from businesses provide important support in the purchase of technology, programming and other needed items and services.

 The Grants Office
The Grants Office identifies and submits proposals for grants and partnerships for which the library or its foundation are eligible. Its goal is to enhance library resources and programs, especially reaching out to new users or current users in new ways. (more)

Volunteer Program
Individual and corporate volunteers donated more than 133,500 hours of work for the library in fiscal year 2007.

Cash & Carry
The library and the Fairfax County Employees Credit Union (FCECU) have partnered to place an automated teller machine (ATM) in the Reston Regional Library. Twenty-five cents of each non-member transaction will be donated to the library.

Information Central
Information Central provides customized reference service to county employees in pursuit of work-related topics. Articles, reports, and statistics are examples of what Information Central offers.

Summer Reading Program
More than 20 businesses and organizations donate more than $1 million worth of prizes to the Fairfax County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program, which had more than 50,000 participants in 2007. In addition, several volunteer groups underwrite performers’ summer appearances at library branches; in 2007 the Friends of the George Mason Regional Library donated $32,000, the Friends of the Fairfax City Regional Library gave $4,000, the Friends of the Kings Park Library donated $7,500, and additional support was provided by other library Friends groups.

The library’s Summer Reading Program is held in cooperation with the Fairfax County Public Schools and encourages students to keep their reading comprehension skills sharp during summer vacation. Participants who finish the required number of books win prizes. Preschoolers through sixth graders read 15 books (kids can have books read to them), and teens in grades 7-12 read eight books. Participants are free to read any books, although the library and the schools offer reading lists.

In addition to reading, kids can enjoy hundreds of free programs featuring a wide variety of performers, including artists, animal wranglers, cartoons, crafts, musicians, magicians, puppets, poets, scientists and storytellers. All programs are free, but registration is required for most; signed interpretation or assistive listening devices are also available. The Summer Reading Program includes a DVD/video production workshop for teens.

Literature & Medicine
The health information partnership between the Fairfax County Public Library and Inova Health System offers free wellness-related programs and resources for all ages. "Literature & Medicine" is one of several initiatives launched by this partnership. Modeled after the Maine Humanities Council program, "Literature & Medicine" offers book discussion events for Inova health care professionals. The events include dinner and a copy of a book related to medical care, and the discussion is professionally facilitated. Past discussions have centered around Tuesdays With Morrie; The Dress Lodger; Age of Innocents; The Diving Bell & the Butterfly; The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down; Epiphany; and Complications.

Library Wins Grant from ICMA
Fairfax County is one of nine local governments nationwide to win a Public Library Innovation Grant from ICMA, the International City/County Management Association. The grants, made possible through ICMA’s partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, support projects developed by local government that utilize their public libraries in addressing local needs and providing new services with lasting benefits to their communities. ICMA, the premier local government and management organization in the U.S., will provide oversight for the operation of the program.

The grant of $34,450 will allow Fairfax County Public Library to continue offering its award-winning Changing Lives Through Literature program in partnership with the Virginia Department of Corrections and the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court Services. Changing Lives Through Literature offers an alternative to formal court action or is a requirement as part of the Recidivist Prevention Program for Fairfax County offenders that uses the power of literature to transform lives through reading and group discussion. Literature and discussions are effective, proven tools for reducing recidivism at minimum cost. During the process, offenders develop better verbal and listening skills, undergo self-reflection and learn how to become better citizens. Fairfax County will build a broader and stronger network to sustain and expand this program and promote public libraries as important tools in stemming criminal recidivism. Changing Lives Through Literature operates in eight states and the United Kingdom. It began in 1991 at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

The ICMA Public Library Innovation Grants are designed to assist local governments in developing new and creative ways to strategically use their public libraries in meeting community needs. Recognizing the importance of the city manager/librarian relationship to create and sustain positive change for communities, the Innovation Grant will be anchored by a partnership between Fairfax County’s Office of the County Executive and the Fairfax County Public Library. Nine local governments were selected for the Innovation grants out of 515 applications received by ICMA.

Model Investment Club
The Model Investment Club of Northern Virginia (MicNOVA) is sponsored by the DC Chapter of BetterInvesting and the Fairfax County Public Library. The focus is investment education. There is no charge for attending. MicNOVA meets on the third Thursday of every month at the Dolley Madison Library.