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Friends of CPL

Friends Board 2024

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

 


Hello Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library!  

Please click below for highlights of the Friends of the Library Annual Meeting on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

Friends Annual Meeting 2024


Click here


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)


Marilyn Novak, Mary Ann Chew, Kay Heise
Photo Credit: Annie Doyle, Charlevoix Courier

Michigan Room Committee: This 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.

 

Friends Volunteers
meet every Wednesday to sort, organize, and shelve used books available for purchase by the public.

 

 


Projects:


Renaissance, Science, Magic and Medicine in Harry Potter’s World Traveling Display
September 2023

Projects ranging from 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 2004-2023, the Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library contributed over $200,000 to the library for special projects.

CPL Friends Projects 2023
CPL Friends Projects 2022
CPL Friends Projects 2021
Record of Project Expenses 2004-2018


Lifelong Learning:

The Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library with the generous support of funding from Lynne and Mason Rosenthal, continue offering the exciting Lifelong Learning concept for ongoing education.  The plan is to offer classes dealing with both local and global issues, targeted at adults who are interested in investigating and in discussing current topics in a small group setting with a knowledgeable facilitator.

LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAM
Winter Series 2024

The Friends of the Charlevoix Public Library present Great Decisions as the offering of the Lifelong Learning Series for Winter 2024. This program 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 will be in an open discussion format moderated by Dr. William Wadland.

Go beyond the headlines of today’s issues in this lively discussion group that explores significant global concerns. Great Decisions briefing books, published by the Foreign Policy Association, are the primary resource. These impartial materials provide thought-provoking analysis in a written guide complemented by updates and PBS video segments. These books should be available at the Information Services Desk.

Registration is required to receive the Great Decisions 2024 briefing book, 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

This winter we are excited to present new topics from global and national issues with information to keep us informed and prepared as family members and engaged citizens. We will be continuing the Great Decision Series of programs prepared by the Foreign Policy Association.   Briefing books for this series will be provided to those who register for the Great Decisions Programs, with the expectation that those attending will have read each program’s briefing before the presentation.


Winter Series Programs 2024: 

Class #1 – Great Decisions: Mideast Realignment
William Wadland, MD, Facilitator
Wednesday, January 24 at 1:00 pm in the Community Room

Class # 2- Great Decisions: Climate Technology and Competition
William Wadland, MD, Facilitator
Wednesday, February 7 at 1:00 pm in the Community Room

Class #3-  Great Decisions: Science Across Borders
William Wadland, MD, Facilitator
Wednesday, February 21 at 1:00 pm in the Community Room
Scientific advances benefit from collaboration between researchers, but what happens when material, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) is controversial and important to a nation’s national security? Is there a middle ground between sharing information and denying access? How can we regulate cooperation?

Class #4 – Great Decisions:  U.S. – China Trade Rivalry
William Wadland, MD, Facilitator
Wednesday, March 6 at 1:00 pm in the Community Room China’s economic rise and its current policies of increasing the role of the state in the economy have led some U.S. policymakers to seek to deny China access to U.S. technology and investment. This is seen as a necessary corrective to decades of predatory Chinese economic policies. Is this a wise strategy, and how effective can it be?


 


Friends of the Library Annual Book Sale – Another Success!

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 – this year, raising over $6,300!

See the Community Room during the June annual sale below:

 

Friends Digitize Historical Charlevoix Obituaries

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. The librarians had reported that there was a need for obituary information to be accessible, due to a large demand by genealogy researchers. So the Committee spent two years sorting and saving stacks of unorganized old issues of the local papers found in the basement of the old library. A scanner was purchased by the Friends, permission to use the newspapers was obtained from the publisher, and the first obituary was placed onto the library’s website in 2003.

At an old computer in the basement storage room of the old library, where warmth was supplied by a portable heater, a searchable data base was developed, information was entered, and images of original obituaries were scanned.  (The current Beyers Friends Room facilities have been a huge upgrade for this work!)

An integral part of the project was for the staff to move forward by adding new obituaries as they appeared in the current papers. Marti Chester, Erika Powell, Linda Adams, and  Davonne Rogers have been contributors to this effort, and Roger Gowell has provided technical assistance.  Many thanks to them.

Tremendous thanks to the Friends volunteers who have participated in large and small ways to the past fourteen years of data entry!  They are:

Eugene Ackert,  Suzanne Ackert,  Elizabeth Allan, Sarah Benitez, Alberta Beyers, Larry Burgess, Mary Ann Chew, Judy Colt, Jerry Corley, Judy Corley, Toni Felter, Kathy Gowell, Don Heise, Kay Heise, Marilyn King, Marilyn Novak, Nancy Porter, Cynthia Postmus and Mary Snider.

Approximately 16,000 obituaries from over 6,000 newspapers have been entered. Click Here to see what is available. 

 

Margaret Duerr Award:

Annually, the Friends of the Library group selects an individual or group who has made a significant contribution to the Charlevoix area to receive the Margaret Duerr Award. The 20th annual Margaret Duerr Award was presented on on Wednesday, October 11th, 2023 at 6pm  in the Community Room to Laura and Chip Hansen. The program included remarks by Sara Ward, President of the Charlevoix County Community Foundation, and music provided by the Jordan High School Jazz Band.

The Margaret Duerr Award was established in 2003 in recognition of Margaret’s longtime service to the Library and in particular to the Michigan Room. During her tenure as the Interim Director she organized the move to 109 Clinton Street in 1967.

 

Previous recipients dating from 2003 include: 

 

 

Friends of the Library — 2024 Executive Board

The board meets the first Tuesday of every other month at 10 a.m.


President: Steve Hall

Vice President: Sue Parr

Secretary:  Tom Richards

Treasurer:  Steve Kolb

Members at Large: Mary Ann Chew, Diana Hilligan, Mary Millington, Elizabeth Postmus, Sharon Elzinga, Jean Smith, Linda Linklater

Membership:  Steve Hall, Diana Hilligan

Book Sale:  Mary Ann Chew, Sue Parr

Lifelong Learning:  Tom Richards

Michigan Room Representative:  Mary Ann Chew

Duerr Award: Kay Heise

Publicity:  Open

Board of Trustees Representative: Mary Lynn Heid, Tom Conlan

Library Director:  Ryan Deery

Updated: January 2024