Friends Board
The Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library
“It is thanks to the passion, dedication, and tireless work and support of the Friends of the Library that we are able to serve this community in all of the many ways you have come to expect as well as to go above and beyond.” -Ryan Deery, Director of the Charlevoix Public Library
Join Us!
The Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library annually extends an invitation for all Charlevoix residents to join this non-profit organization. For a nominal fee of $5.00 (individual or family) membership is a way for residents of the area to gain ownership in, become more involved with and actively support their library.
This may be the biggest bargain in town, for while membership money is minimal it packs a big punch. Along with additional donations the proceeds from the on-going and summer Book Sale, monies collected are used to fund projects, concerts, events, programs, exhibitions, and buy books for the children’s section of the library. Membership also affords the opportunity for community members to volunteer.
Membership Form:
To join, click the form, scan the QR code, or mail completed form with your check to; Friends of the Library Membership, c/o Charlevoix Public Library, 220 W. Clinton St., Charlevoix, MI 49720)
What We Do
Michigan Room Committee
Marilyn Novak, Mary Ann Chew, Kay Heise
Photo Credit: Annie Doyle, Charlevoix CourierThis group is the original driving force behind the effort to renovate and create our present library. They continue to contribute by spending countless volunteer hours, and were honored for their contributions at the 16th annual Margaret Duerr Award on Thursday, October 3, 2019.
The Michigan Room Committee is a subsidiary of the Friends group and has been responsible for appraising the rare books collection, preserving historical Charlevoix newspapers, providing obituary records for the Libraries’ webpage, promoting historical exhibitions, and creating the Margaret Duerr Award to honor outstanding citizens or organizations who have made significant contributions to our town.
Book Sales
Annual and Ongoing
Books, books and more books! Great bargains on thousands of books: mass market, children’s, even rare and collectible books and gently used CDs and DVDs…all on sale at the Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library’s annual book sale.
The sale takes place on the front sidewalk of the Library, continues in the Community Room and in the 2nd floor on-going sale room in order to accommodate the large selection. The Friend’s most significant fund raiser of the year, the annual book sale proceeds are used to fund new books, materials and programs for the Library’s children’s department. Annual sales net over $6000 – in 2025, raising nearly $8,400!
The Friends group also manages the Ongoing Book Sale, which is open whenever the library is open. Donations are received daily, and processed weekly by dedicated volunteers.
Community Room during the June annual sale
Book Sale Volunteers
meet every Wednesday to sort, organize, and shelve used books available for purchase by the public.
Great Decisions and Lifelong Learning Program
The Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library with the generous support from Lynne and Mason Rosenthal, continue offering the Lifelong Learning concept for ongoing education, including the Great Decisions series. This series is a project initiated by the Friends of the Library as a means of providing an opportunity to develop a greater understanding of topics and issues that impact all of us. Classes are presented as an open discussion format moderated by Dr. William Wadland.
Registration is required to receive the Great Decisions briefing book (available at the Information Services Desk), with the expectation that the material will be read before each class. If possible, we ask that families share one book. Register online or by calling 231-237-7340
Projects
Ongoing Support for the Youth Department
Projects ranging from providing afterschool snacks for children, the Harry Potter’s World traveling display from the National Library of Medicine, the StoryWalk installation on the library grounds, new snowshoes for check-out, to sound and projection equipment upgrades, and Lifelong Learning as well as other programming, the Friends stand ready to supplement the Library’s budget and consider proposals for funding. Each year the on-going and the annual summer Book Sale nets over $20,000. Along with membership dues and other donations, this viable organization is able to maintain and manage a healthy budget. From 2004-2025, the Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library contributed over $200,000 to the library for special projects.
Annual Projects
CPL Friends Projects 2025
CPL Friends Projects 2024
Charlevoix Obituary Project
The obituaries from the Charlevoix Journal 1883 to 1890, the Charlevoix Sentinel 1920 to 1936, and the Charlevoix Courier, 1908 to the present day, have all been entered, and are all searchable on the library website!
Soon after the Friends of the Library organized in 1999, a small group of four volunteers, the Michigan Room Committee, began The Obituary Project. Tremendous thanks to the Friends volunteers who have participated in large and small ways to the past fourteen years of data entry!
Approximately 16,000 obituaries from over 6,000 newspapers have been entered. Click Here to see what is available.
Friends of the Library 2025-26 Executive Board
FOL By-Laws As Amended 4-2025The board meets the first Tuesday of every other month at 10:10 a.m.
President: Steve HallVice President: Sue Parr
Secretary: Tom Richards
Treasurer: Steve Kolb
Members at Large: Mary Millington, Elizabeth Postmus, Sharon Elzinga, Jean Smith, Sarah Elgart, Cathy Dufort, Chris Booth, Sherry Sheldon, Jeanne White
Membership: Sharon Elzinga
Book Sale: Sue Parr
Lifelong Learning: Tom Richards
Michigan Room Representative: Mary Ann Chew
Publicity: Sarah Elgart
Library Director: Ryan Deery
Updated: 2.20.2026
