The Friends Group started in April of 2009 in anticipation of the Providence Community Library taking over the nine branch libraries in the city.

The Friends Mission: to care about all things library at Knight; to identify ways to support collections health, programming, community relatedness and building/grounds improvement. Advocacy for the preservation of the building, an architectural and historic gem it is in the Southside, that was named in 2018 as one of the 10 Most Endangered buildings in Providence by the Providence Preservation Society.

Situated in the crowning piece of architecture on Elmwood Avenue, the Friends of Knight Memorial Library has several initiatives: