Raise the Stacks 2026

Raise the Stacks returns to the Burton Barr Central Library on Friday, November 6, from 5:30 PM to 8 PM. It's the annual fundraiser put on by the Phoenix Public Library Foundation, and this year it takes over the fifth floor of the library. The evening is built around cocktails, appetizers, and an auction, with the city skyline visible from the room.

Between drinks, there are raffles, Book & Bottle Pairings, and a silent auction, and the night is designed to let you hear more about the Foundation's work. The library notes that for more than a century it has provided vital, responsive, and innovative services to the community.

There's a specific reason for the fundraiser: tax dollars cover the library's books and basic operations, but the programs that go beyond that rely on private donations. That's what Raise the Stacks is for—supporting the programs that don't come out of the public budget. The evening is held on the fifth floor of the library, so you'll be inside the building you're helping to support.

Tickets are $100, and business or cocktail attire is suggested. It runs from 5:30 PM to 8 PM at the Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 N Central Ave, 5th floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004.