Why Isn’t TPL Open?

We know many of you have been missing our beloved library. And we have an update for you. First, following the initial lockdown due to Covid, the TPL staff was hit hard. Many employees could not return due to health concerns and/or had found other opportunities. So the hiring process had to unfold. That is handled by the City, and it involves a timely interview and training process. However, there have been several new hires who are now in place and ready to serve! But not so fast… Our beloved TPL is an aging building. The original wing which houses the Youth Services area, the public and youth bathrooms, Tech Services, and the Friends Book Shop has suffered a major failure of the sewage system.…

Friends in Action: Promoting and Supporting the TPL

Friends in Action: Promoting and Supporting the TPL

The mission of the Friends of the Troy Public Library has always been to promote and support the library, and that means even in the midst of a pandemic! While our shops have been closed and we cannot accept donations, we are still hard at work providing support for the programs and initiatives of the Library.  The Friends are proud to sponsor the new Storybook Trail to be installed at Raintree Park, and we cannot wait to travel the walk through the pages of an amazing children’s picture book. We are thrilled to be able to help bring the renowned author, Madeline Miller, to the homes of TPL patrons as she participates in a Conversations with Cathy Zoom presentation.  These activities are possible with the revenue we’ve made from our Shops,…

An Update from the Friends

Are you missing the TPL as much as we are? While the Library has been closed, so have our operations. That means we haven’t been able to see our wonderful volunteers or customers. We are in constant contact with Cathy Russ, Library Director, and as soon as we can return to any level of service, we will let our Friends know! If you are a member of the Friends, you should have received your invitation to our General Annual Meeting on Sept. 28. Via a virtual platform, we’ll highlight the year (such as it is!), inform you on the status of our financials and donations to the Library, and nominate the slate for our Board of Directors. If you’d like to be a part of…

Alert: the millage funding the Troy Public Library is up for renewal this November!

If it passes, service will only improve at the TPL with its normal operations (while not suffering pandemic problems). If it doesn’t pass, the funding will expire at the end of the fiscal year in July 2021. Under this scenario, plans to close the library would have to begin far sooner, however. We cannot let that happen! So be informed. Attend one of Troy’s virtual TPL Millage Town Hall Meetings to learn about the Troy Public Library millage question on the November 3, 2020 ballot. Town Hall Meetings will be hosted on Zoom. Meetings will be held on Wednesday, September 23, at 7 pm and Thursday, October 1, at 7 pm. Register here: https://troypl.librarycalendar.com/… Please Note: These Town Hall Meetings are intended for Troy residents and…

READ (Read, Eat, and Drink) with the Friends!

READ (read, eat, and drink) with local authors…at home! We were disappointed to postpone our in-person READ (Read, Eat, and Drink) event last March, and we know our authors were as well. But we put our thinking caps on, and we’ve come up with what think is the next best thing! Several of our scheduled participants have prepared videos profiling their work. We’ll be sharing them one at a time over the coming days, and we hope you’ll watch and consider supporting these local authors. When the time is right, we’ll hold the event we intended. But for now, pour a glass of your favorite beverage, grab a snack, and meet a new author from the comfort of your safe homes! Introducing…Elizabeth Prechtel McClellan!

READ with the FTPL…at home!

READ with the FTPL…at home!

READ (read, eat, and drink) with local authors…at home! We were disappointed to postpone our in-person READ (Read, Eat, and Drink) event last March, and we know our authors were as well. But we put our thinking caps on, and we’ve come up with what think is the next best thing! Several of our scheduled participants have prepared videos profiling their work. We’ll be sharing them one at a time over the coming days, and we hope you’ll watch and consider supporting these local authors. When the time is right, we’ll hold the event we intended. But for now, pour a glass of your favorite beverage, grab a snack, and meet a new author from the comfort of your safe homes! Introducing…Veronica Dale!

READ with the FTPL…at home!

READ with the FTPL…at home!

READ (read, eat, and drink) with local authors…at home! We were disappointed to postpone our in-person READ (Read, Eat, and Drink) event last March, and we know our authors were as well. But we put our thinking caps on, and we’ve come up with what think is the next best thing! Several of our scheduled participants have prepared videos profiling their work. We’ll be sharing them one at a time over the coming days, and we hope you’ll watch and consider supporting these local authors. When the time is right, we’ll hold the event we intended. But for now, pour a glass of your favorite beverage, grab a snack, and meet a new author from the comfort of your safe homes! Introducing…Danielle Bernock!

DONATIONS: THANKS, BUT NO THANKS…

We are so glad that so may library patrons are thinking of the Friends at this time, and we know that people have time to purge and clean their homes. But we simply cannot accept any donations of books and other materials at this time. Until further notice, please remember the following: – DO NOT bring donations to the TPL– DO NOT call the TPL to ask about donating We will update here, on social media, and anywhere else we can when the time is right to get back to our usual business. But for now, we cannot take any donations. Thanks for your understanding!

READ with the Authors…at home!

READ with the Authors…at home!

We were disappointed to postpone our in-person READ (Read, Eat, and Drink) event last March, and we know our authors were as well. But we put our thinking caps on, and we’ve come up with what think is the next best thing! Several of our scheduled participants have prepared videos profiling their work. We’ll be sharing them one at a time over the coming days, and we hope you’ll watch and consider supporting these local authors. When the time is right, we’ll hold the event we intended. But for now, pour a glass of your favorite beverage, grab a snack, and meet a new author from the comfort of your safe homes! Introducing…Tony Aued! (Click his name!)

Library Funding into the Future

From Friends President Sue Matthews, as read into record at last night’s Troy City Council Study Session regarding TPL funding: “Troy deserves to have a facility that matches the forward-thinking, well-educated, and technologically driven nature of our city and its residents.” Do you agree? Please take some time to watch the attached video of last night’s meeting. The slideshow presentation of the current funding model vs. potential scenarios can be viewed from 17:30-47:00. The Q and A following the slideshow is also instructive. Once you’ve seen the playback, consider telling Council and City Administration how you feel about funding the TPL going forward. The Friends remain committed to supporting and promoting the best library in Michigan, and we are happy to answer questions regarding the…