🎃 Halloween is creeping up next Thursday October 31, so this weekend the Friends of the Troy Public Library are all about Books & Boos (This kind→👻.  Not this kind→🥃🍸🍷).   Our Center Table is crawling with creepy treasures – from “Classic Ghost Stories” to “The Halloween Handbook” (complete with everything from eerie crafts to ghoulish recipes!).  If blood-curdling tales are your thing, we’ve got plenty of scary storybooks and terrifying novels to keep you up all night. 📖💀🕷🕸️ For our little ghouls and goblins, we have shelves of Spooktacular children’s books!  From the award-winning “A Newbery Halloween” to adorably scary picture books, there’s something to delight every young monster. 👻📚 And don’t forget our Halloween DVD collection—featuring family favorites and hair-raising classics like “Poltergeist” that will have you…

From October 20-26, 2024, we’re celebrating National Friends of Libraries Week, a time to recognize and honor the amazing contributions of Friends groups across the country.  This special week shines a spotlight on the crucial role organizations – like ours – play in enhancing local libraries while spreading the love of books and literacy. 📚❤️ As an all-volunteer nonprofit, the Friends of the Troy Public Library work tirelessly to support and promote the Troy Public Library’s special programs and initiatives.  Not a penny earned from membership dues, Book Shop sales, or donations goes into our pockets … because … well … our pockets are already stuffed with Hershey Kisses, Snickers, Reese’s, and other treats from Lynda and Mary Lynn’s candy jar! 🤣🍫🍭 This week, we’re giving a…

All Hallows’ Eve is but a fortnight hence, and we’re brewing up something special at the Friends of the Troy Public Library Book Shop! 🧙‍♀️  This weekend, stop by to explore our frightfully fun Halloween-themed books, especially in the Children’s Section.  Plus, we’ve got some charming Halloween decorations to help set the spooky mood! 👻🎃 Meanwhile, our Center Table is showcasing brand-new, deluxe editions of recent Fantasy novels—signed by the authors.  Collectors will appreciate these unique finds, and they’re priced lower than what you’ll see online. (Check out the photos for a closer look! 📖✨) If you’re looking for everyday favorites, we have a wide selection of gently-used fiction, non-fiction, magazines, CDs, DVDs, games, and jigsaw puzzles—all at prices you’ll feel great about—most items are just $1 or less.…

This weekend, we’re cranking up the volume to 11 with a Center Table theme that is sure to wrap your mind in waves of classic tunes: Rock Bands and Rock Stars! 🎤🎼💥   Swing by and find books featuring legendary groups like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Van Halen and KI⚡️⚡️ (or 💋 if you’re really feeling bold).  Read about rockers like Michael Jackson, Bob Seger and Kurt Cobain.  Some even come with autographs, special cover art, and slip cases!  Then hit the high note and look for actual music by these featured stars on our CD shelf (See links below for inspiration). 🎶💿 Don’t forget 👉🏻 Our Book Shop carries a wide inventory of gently-used fiction and nonfiction books of all genres, plus magazines, CDs, DVDs, games, and jigsaw puzzles.  Most treasures…

Last night, October 7, 2024, the Friends of the Troy Public Library gathered in the Library Meeting Room to honor our volunteers—the true lifeblood of our organization. 💖 From staffing Book Shop operations to leading Outreach efforts, your tireless work has supported and promoted the Library in ways that have spread literacy and the love of reading far and wide! As an all-volunteer nonprofit, let’s be honest—without you, nothing would happen.  And by “nothing,” we mean ABSOLUTELY nothing!  No books sorted, no shelves stocked, no books sold.  We’d be playing hide-and-seek in the basement just to pass the time. 😂 Seriously, your dedication keeps everything running smoothly, and we couldn’t be more grateful!🙌 2024 had its challenges—like the Lower Level Book Shop taking a “siesta” for some much-needed repairs—but…

Meet our Dynamic Duo:  Scarecrows representing Friends of the Troy Public Library and Troy Public Library!  They’ve teamed up to spread the love of reading and raise funds for the Troy Historic Village, as part of the annual Scarecrow Row event. 👻 📸 Photo Op! Drop by the Village on Wattles just west of Livernois to snap a selfie with these two spirited crusaders for literacy and knowledge.  Nothing to fear.  They didn’t bite Mary Lynn Bowen, and they won’t sink a molar into you either. 🦷 😜 ✓ Vote for Us! Help us out by visiting the Troy Historic Village website and voting for our scarecrows.  After all, we don’t want our two Gallybaggers to weather the elements for an entire month only to finish in second place. 😼 📚 Yes, the Book Shop is Open this Weekend! Stop by on the Lower Level of the Library on Saturday from 10AM-1PM and Sunday 1PM-PM. 🐅⚾️ Go Tigers!

🚚🍳 Guess what just rolled into the Troy Public Library, hot on the wheels of the new Bookmobile? Say hello to the ‘Charlie Cart’—a culinary classroom on wheels, courtesy of a generous grant from the Friends of the Troy Public Library! 💰 This shiny new kitchen-on-the-go is here to kick things up a notch for the Library’s cooking demonstration programs (which are also underwritten by the Friends). Who knows?  We could be nurturing the next generation of Food Network stars right here at the Library! 📺🧑🏼‍🍳🍳  So, don’t be surprised if you hear someone enthusiastically shouting “Bam!” like Emeril Lagasse or catching a glimpse of a budding chef channeling the late Julia Child with, “A party without cake is just a meeting.” 🧄🍰 Keep an eye on the Library’s…

This weekend, our Center Table is filled with Coffee Table books that celebrate the beauty of Fauna & Flora!  Feast your eyes on stunning photographs, paintings, and drawings that bring this wild and wonderful world to life. 🌸🐅   From majestic Big Cats (no, not the Detroit Tigers or Lions 😂) to enchanting Birds, Horses, and Undersea creatures, our Fauna collection offers a delight on every page.  And for the green thumbs out there, our Flora books cover everything from Gardening essentials to Roses and Botanica.  Perfect for planning next year’s growing season. 🌹💐 We’re also unveiling a special cart dedicated to Quilts. 🧵✂️ Explore the rich history of quilting, get inspired with DIY guides, or lose yourself in fiction books where quilts help stitch the story together. 🪡 Self-Improvement Month is coming…

This weekend, we invite you to join us in honoring the freedom to read.  Our Center Table is overflowing with banned and challenged books, leaving almost no empty space!  These books have faced restrictions or outright bans in various places over the years, both in the United States and around the world.  Each comes with a brief explanation of why it was banned, offering insights that might astonish you.   The Friends stand with the Troy Public Library in fully endorsing the freedom of individuals to choose what they want to read or leave sitting on the shelf.  We respect differing viewpoints and encourage open and respectful conversations about the importance of intellectual freedom. In addition to our Center Table promotion, check out our special…

[ Please use the Facebook link to see the images and video – Jeff ] The ribbon has been cut, and the Bookmobile is officially in service (After posing for congratulatory photos and meeting a few more Troy Family Daze festival goers, of course.). Thanks to everyone who attended, including City of Troy Government, Mayor Ethan Baker, Hirak Chanda – Troy City Council Member, Dr. Theresa Brooks, Troy City Councilwoman, Representative Sharon MacDonell and of course, Michigan Nonprofit Association, Troy Public Library along with members and volunteers of Friends of the Troy Public Library. For those who couldn’t make it, we’ve got you covered with a video of the ceremony and some more photos coming later. [ Please see our Facebook page – Jeff ]…