p. 2 A Note from the President
p. 3 From the Director
Volunteer of the Year
p. 4 Raising Funds
p. 5 Friends Store Opens
p. 6 Book Sales Challenge
p. 7 Book Carts are Back
Friends Membership
p. 8 Hiatus for Holiday Home Tour
Little Free Libraries
Fall 2020 What’s Happening!
of the Rochester Hills
Public Library
Dedicated to Promoting a Closer Relationship Between the Library & Its Constituents
Fall 2020Volume 29 Issue 1.
p. 9 Friends Partner with U-Haul
Amazon Smile
p. 10 Donations to Friends
Board of Directors
p. 11 Newsletter by Email
Friends Annual Meeting
New Members
p.12 Giving Tuesday
FRIENDS COPING WITH CRISIS
C
Thanks for supporting the Friends of RHPL
whether by donating used
books, buying a book from one
of our sales or an item from
the store, attending one of
our fundraising events or by
volunteering as a Friend.
Here’s to
Two Zero Two One
A Note from the President
Page 2. Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Like us on Facebook@ Friends of RHPL
Ron Meegan
Friends President
2020 has been an interesting year so far hasn’t it?
It started o so symmetrical – two zero two zero,
but has become very disjointed since then. The
year for the Friends started o pretty normally
too. We had our winter book sale like normal
and then everything changed in March. The
library shut down for in-person operation, so
everything stopped for the Friends also – Wine Wit
& Wisdom, the lobby book cart, the Friends store,
used book sales, book donations, book sorting,
book shelving, online book sales – everything came
to a halt. Pretty depressing.
But this issue of the Friends newsletter is about
positive, not negative. The articles that you will
see about our various events are focused on how
we have adapted to the new constraints we are
under and found ways to raise money for the
library (our primary reason for being), serve the
local community, and provide opportunities for our
many volunteers to stay involved. All the things
that came to a halt back in March are now back
in operation but with revisions. Take a look at the
articles to see how we’ve adapted and revised our
various operations.
“United for Libraries”
designated October 18th thru
the 24th as the 15th Annual
“Friends of the Library” week.
This was set up to promote the
Friends in our communities,
to raise awareness of what
Friends groups do, and to
encourage Friends membership. We thank the
Rochester Hills Public Library for recognizing us
in the press and on social media.
Two Zero Two Zero
Here Ye, Here Ye - the Friends of RHPL
will be celebrating their 60th anniversary
in 2021. Our Articles of Incorporation
were led with the State of Michigan on
January 24, 1961. We started out as The
Friends of the Woodward Memorial Public
Library, became the Friends of the Avon
Township Public Library and then assumed
our present name when Rochester Hills
became a city. We will be planning some
60th anniversary celebrations in 2021, so
stay tuned
Page 3.Volume 29 Issue1. Fall 2020
From the Director
Juliane Morian
248.650.7122
When I interviewed for the prestigious role of
Director at the Rochester Hills Public Library
nearly one year ago I can recall stating, “I
am really good in a crisis.” I had 15+ years
of experience under my belt and I had dealt
with my share of library related crises. I’ve
trained on everything from life-threatening
medical incidents, to building evacuations, and
even the dreaded outbreak of bed bugs in a
library. Little did I know that in my rst year
as a library director I would face a once-in-a-
generation global pandemic and subsequent
work stoppage the likes of which we could not
imagine, yet faced in 2020.
Ten months into my new role and I am still
condent about my crisis-management skills,
but equally humbled and awed by the power of
working with team when faced with a massive
disaster. When COVID-19 hit in March of 2020,
our board, staff and volunteers rose to the
occasion and charted a new path forward. As
you might recall, in those early months there
was a tremendous shortage of solid facts,
cleaning supplies, and personal protective
equipment (PPE). Businesses and organizations
rapidly pivoted into telework opportunities and
prioritized what needed attention. As a library,
we focused on ease of access: extending due
dates, fast-tracking new library card requests,
prolonging expiration dates, and removing nes
and fees throughout the summer months.
Our building may have been closed, but staff
never stopped working. Our Makerspace
Specialist, Tierney Czartoski, had the inspiration
to take our 3D printer to her home and use that
technology to print much-needed face shields.
We used supplies purchased for community
programs to construct over 150 face shields that
we gave away. The PPE was donated to local
medical centers and neighboring assisted living
facilities in need.
Our Friends of the RHPL helped make this
possible. The Friends have always been early
supporters of new technology at the library,
and they underwrite all of our community
programming. It was program supplies
specically, those that we normally would have
shared with the community, that we were able
to repurpose into PPE for the war on COVID.
Without the generous support of the Friends,
we would not have been nimble enough to
make decisions as quickly as we did in the
spring. You helped support us, and in turn, we
were able to help the community at large.
Thank you, Friends!
Twenty years ago, Lorrie started working on the
used book sales. She was not only skilled at sorting
the donated books; she was a whirlwind of activity.
She reached out to the sta to help them nd dona-
tions that would be useful additions to the library
collection. In recent years, Lorrie took over the job
of pricing the quality books that we put in the sale.
We have discovered over the years that we could
make much more money selling books as sets rather
than individually. This takes a lot of eort though,
Lorrie Imbirowitz Selected as the 2020 Volunteer of the Year
in researching and collecting the books to make up a
set. Lorrie has spent countless hours doing this, both
for the on-line sales and for the December Quality
Sale.
It is only with dedicated volunteers like Lorrie that we
have been able to achieve such success with the used
book sales.
The Friends salute Lorrie Imbirowitz, the 2020
Volunteer of the Year.
Page 4. Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 20209
FRIENDS COPING WITH CRISIS
C
How We’ve Managed & Revised Our Operations
The menu was set, and seven interesting and talented speakers were conrmed. Registrations
were arriving daily as members of the Rochester community anticipated an entertaining
evening at the 7th annual Wine, Wit & Wisdom, scheduled for April 25, 2020. Then, in
March, COVID-19 entered the scene. As the severity of the pandemic began to be recognized,
it became clear that the only appropriate course of action was to cancel the event.
Wine, Wit & Wisdom is the Friends’ major spring fundraiser. Canceling the event would have
a signicant impact on the Friends’ planned revenue and on the programs that revenue would
support. As the committee quickly mobilized to deconstruct the event, they also worked to
identify ways to maintain some revenue. In announcing the event’s cancellation, the committee
asked current registrants to consider donating the cost of their tickets to the Friends. A full
refund was also oered. Thanks to the generosity of the library’s supporters, well over 50%
of registrants donated the cost of their tickets. While we lost the anticipated revenue from the
many individuals who had not yet registered, and from the event’s silent auction, the cancelled
event was still able to generate signicant funds for the Friends.
Raising Funds
with a Cancelled
Fundraiser!
We know that when the situation permits, people will be eager to come together again to enjoy
food, wine, presentations and camaraderie. With that in mind, we are hoping to schedule Wine,
Wit & Wisdom for fall, 2021. We have a great menu, committed speakers and a fantastic list of
silent auction items ready to go!
Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Page 5.
Hello Fall! A new season brings new motifs
for the home. It is time to transition from a
summer look to a fall-inspired décor. The
Friends Library Store volunteers can help you
with that. Whether the look you want is elegant
or casual, whimsical or classic, you can nd
the perfect something to welcome fall into your
home and start you thinking for Thanksgiving.
You can shop by appointment any time on
Mondays, on Tuesday afternoons, any time on
Thursdays, and on Friday mornings. Simply
send an email to Dar[email protected]g to
set a day and time. Also, if you happen to be
in the library when an appointment has been
completed and the store is still open, check for
an opportunity to stop in then.
And if you shop our posts on the Friends
of RHPL Facebook page, you can make
arrangements to pick up your purchase
curbside in the south parking lot.
And here’s another bonus! With the cooler
temperatures that mark the end of summer, all
the past season merchandise in the store is 60%
o until it’s gone. So check out the window
The Friends Store is back in operation
displays. There is lots of great merchandise just
waiting for you!
And remember, Friends members always
receive an additional 10% o. And every bit
of the prot we make goes right back to the
library, so it’s a win-win-win for everyone!
Page3.
Page 6.
Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Like the rest of
the world, it has
been a difcult
time for the used
book sales, and
it has challenged
our ingenuity.
Everything shut
down when the
library closed in
March. Once we
were allowed back
into the library
building, the rst
thing we did was to
restart our online sales, which, thankfully,
have been doing very well.
Due to the restrictions mandated by
the state, we have been limited to only
a few volunteers allowed in the library
at one time. Most of our volunteers
are retirees, which mean that most of
them are in the vulnerable segment of
the population. To keep them as safe
as possible, we have scheduled them
to work alone in separate areas with
minimum contact with the staff, the
public, and each other.
It seems everyone was busy
housecleaning while they were locked
down, so the phone has been ringing
constantly with people who want to
donate their books. When we ran out
Used Book Sales Challenge our Ingenuity
of room, we were able to borrow a
truck this summer from the nice folks at
U-Haul to use as temporary storage. It
was with great reluctance that we had
to nally tell people that we could not
accept any more donations for a while.
As soon as we can make space, we will
be happy to accept donations again.
Eventually, our shelves were
overowing, so we called a few of our
biggest customers and invited them to
come in, a few at a time, and buy large
numbers of books. The next step was to
set up small sales, by appointment only,
for members of the Friends.
We’ve also conducted a couple of
“teacher” sales by appointment only for
teachers that work or live in Rochester
Hills, Rochester and Oakland Township.
This was something that we normally
did just prior to our quarterly book sales
and with many school systems now
going back to in-person classes, the
teachers were very excited to participate
in this sale.
We look forward to getting back to
“normal”, but in the meantime, we will
continue to be as exible and innovative
as possible. We appreciate all the
suggestions we have received and the
cooperation of the community.
Page3.
Page 7.Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Among the
many things
missing at the
library due
to Covid-19
was the Lobby
Book Carts.
We are happy
to report that
the book carts
are back,
albeit in a dierent format. Library patrons
have long-relied on the materials sold on the
carts, including hard and soft cover ction
and non-ction books, cookbooks, children’s
and youth books, DVD’s and books on
tape. Besides purchasing these items for
themselves, the good quality of materials
often make them suitable for gifts or to
simply pass on to others to share. Patrons
have expressed their delight that the carts
are back. As one gentleman said when he
purchased 5 paperbacks, “I was glad to nd
the carts because I buy paperbacks to take
with me to Florida.” We like putting a smile
on faces!
The carts are currently residing near the
Friends Store as a self-serve, honor system
and are in place all of the time. A locked
box attached to a table is on hand for
purchasers to drop in their money with
instructions that suggest if exact change
isn’t available to consider the balance as
a donation to the Friends, or make your
payment the next time you visit the library.
We do advise purchasers that neither the
circulation sta nor store volunteers are able
to make change.
The Lobby Book Carts are welcomed back
In the short time that the book carts have
been available, funds are being collected
daily that will eventually end up contributing
to library programs.
Friends Membership – Our Lifeline
The Friends rely on your membership in the Friends of RHPL for funds, for helping identify
volunteers and to help us keep track of our “friends.” During the pandemic, when the
Library was closed, maintaining our Friends database was a little bit of a challenge. We use
our database to track the expiration and renewal of Friends members and to welcome new
members when they join. Fortunately, a few years ago the Friends Board decided to update
our database using a new program. Although we still rely on the Library’s computers (and their
very helpful IT department) we were able to access our database from a remote location. This
allowed us to continue to process membership reminders and renewals. With the help of our
Library Director Juliane Moran who kindly played “mailman” we have been able to keep our
database pretty much up to date.
If you have let your membership lapse because you did not know if we would receive it, now
is the time to renew. Just drop your renewal or new member request off at the library the next
time you are there. You can also renew by mail to 500 Olde Town, Rochester, Mi 48307. We
also offer you the opportunity to renew or join online. Go to
rhpl.org/connect/visit-the-friends-of-
rhpl. and use PayPal.
Even though
our beautiful
RHPL is open
and available
for area
readers, the
community
has embraced
the idea of
encouraging
reading close
to home. We are thrilled to report that
we have sold 13 little free libraries to
interested individuals, organizations, and
Page3.
Page 8.
Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Our Annual Holiday Home
Tour, always a favorite during
December for Friends and
their friends, regrettably
must be canceled for 2020.
Despite extremely interested
owners and diversely
decorated locales on the tour
docket this year, we cannot
guarantee strict compliance
to the governor’s mandates
about assemblage during the Covid-19
pandemic. Safety rst is the committee’s goal,
so our plans have been postponed until 2021.
Next year, expect to see beautiful décor in a
A Hiatus for the Holiday Home Tour
designer’s home, fantastic holiday quilts,
traditional Christmas themes, and the
beginning of a young couple’s Christmas
decorating traditions. Plus, we have several
more homes that would love to be included.
It should be a spectacular display next
December.
As always, the committee is on the lookout
for homes and individuals who would like
to help. Do not hesitate to contact the
Friends of RHPL for your involvement
opportunities.
Wishing you a hopeful holiday season!
subdivisions since we began providing
this service a year ago.
Our product is sturdy, accommodating,
very easy to assemble, and can be seen
all around Rochester, Rochester Hills, and
Oakland Township. The prototype is on
display in our library and orders can be
made via the Friends hotline and/or the
Friends Library Store. For just $325.00, it
is a gift that keeps on giving.
Little Free Libraries Are a Hit
Page3.
Page 9.
Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Do you order
from Amazon.
com? If so, you
can contribute
to the Friends
of RHPL at the
same time at no
additional cost to
you.
The Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library
have signed up to be a part of the AmazonSmile
program. Before you start your shopping, just
log into Amazon via smile.amazon.com, sign in
with your current Amazon account information
and select a charity to support – who else but the
“Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library Inc.”
Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase total to
the Friends every time you shop. It’s that simple.
Since we started with AmazonSmile, 57 people have
signed up to support the Friends with their Amazon
purchases. Those purchases have brought in $450 to
help support library programs.
Thank you.
Order from AmazonSmile and donate to Friends of RHPL at the same time
One unsung hero of the Covid-19 pandemic
crisis, as far as the Friends of the Rochester
Hills Public Library was concerned, turned out
to be a good neighbor as well. Explanation?
When the Friends re-started limited collection
of used books and other media for its sales
earlier this summer, donated goods piled up
in a hurry. Problem? The state rules for public
buildings greatly limited how many of the
Friends volunteer corps could be in the main
building to handle the donations. And the
offerings from folks who used the stay-at-home
limitation period to clean things out quickly
lled the Friends storage coffers. What to do?
At a virtual Friends Board meeting in late
spring, board members kicked around
solutions. But the best was a suggestion that
the Friends get a truck to
act as sort of a portable
warehouse.
Friends publicist John
Smyntek was asked to
tackle the situation and he
approached a neighbor just
down Rochester Road. The
U-Haul Moving & Storage Center of Rochester
at 6875 N. Rochester Road was having
adjustment dilemmas of their own as demand
for trucks were still pretty solid. But Bethany
Mosher, the U-Haul general manager in
charge, came up with a novel idea. U-Haul has
trucks that are rotated out of service and sold.
She offered to check with U-Haul headquarters
and within a couple of days, a suitable,
destined-for-sale, 17-foot truck was ferried to
the library’s parking lot, where it stayed largely
lled (and emptied) for the better part of three
months. The truck was returned at the end of
August.
The Friends Partner with U-Haul
In a letter to U-Haul brass, Library Director
Juliane Morian wrote that Mosher was
“Not only… responsive in helping the
group acquire the truck, when we asked
for an extension, she was incredibly
accommodating. As a result, we were able to
take in hundreds of donated materials during
a time when the library could not otherwise
accept them. The donated materials are
now being sorted and will be added to the
circulated collection or resold in our book
sales; any revenue gained will be directed
back to the library.”
2020 Board of Directors
Ofcers
President Ron Meegan
Vice President Bill Kroger
Secretary Sandy Tabacchi
Treasurer John Coombs
Asst. Treasurer Jac Caldwell
Board Members
Tom Asmus
Marcia Decker
Kimberly Matis
Kim Whitney
Ex-Ofcio:
Library Director Juliane Morian
Used Book Sale Ann Gruenewald
Friends Store Darlene Tomczyk
Membership Connie Livingston
Publicity John Smyntek
Phone Numbers:
Friends Membership 248-650-7160
Friends Events 248-650-7176
Friends Store 248-650-7179
Used Book Sale 248-650-7178
Online Sales 248-650-9790
Main Library 248-656-2900
Website
rhpl.org/connect/visit-the-friends-of-rhpl.
Newsletter
Published Spring and Fall
Editor/Publisher Tim Schulte
Mailing Coordinator Sandy Tabacchi
Page 10.
Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Kayla Adams
Thomas Adams
Donna Austin
Sharon Backstrom
Muriel Balentine
Roger & Eugenia Bajorek
Diane Bennett
Jane Bingham
Sue Bohanon
Paul & Sue Burbank
Nancy Butler
Henry Eckeld
Eaton Ciera Waller
J Donald & Susan Ferry
Nancy Gaydos
Sally & Vince Giacobbe
Linda Giordano
Frank & Mary Glasgow
Jane Haugen
Bill & Peg Hayes
Debra Hebbeln
Joyce Hennessey
Norman Hunstad
Thomas Jones
Elizabeth Kircos
Mark & Debra Kosowski
Jean & Bill Kroger
Anne Kucher
Art & Lolly Lewry
Mary Mazure
Ron & Theresa Meegan
Nicholas & Rosemarie Mendes
John & Millie Merz
Don & Jeanette Nadler
John & Linda Pannuto
Dawn Saville
Linda & Chad Spawr
Witt Thanom
Michael Price Tyler
Carol Tough
e Friends of RHPL are thankful for the donors
who help support our Friends organization and
through us the Rochester Hills Public Library.
Below is the list of donors since our last newsletter
Donations to the Friends
and Friends Store
You may send a donation to the Friends of RHPL
at 500 Olde Towne Rd, Rochester, MI 48307 at
any time ….. We will be pleased to publish your
name in future newsletters
Camille & Brian Westmore
Robert & Deborah Zeeb
Page3.
Page 11.Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Would you consider getting
your future Friends of RHPL
Newsletters by email rather
than getting a hard copy in
the mail? The benets of an
email newsletter include:
• Email version will be in color
• You will get your newsletter earlier than
those who select mailing
• You can easily save back issues for future
reference
• The Friends of RHPL will save money on
printing and postage
If you would like to have future newsletters
sent by email please send a message to
[email protected]. Please include your name
and address since some email addresses are
cryptic, and we want to update our mailing
list correctly.
To date, 66 Friends have agreed to have their
newsletters sent by email.
Newsletter by Email??!!
The Friends of RHPL held their 2020
Annual Meeting virtually this year
via Zoom on Thursday the 22nd of
October. Minutes from the 2019
meeting were read by Secretary Sandy
Tabacchi, and a financial report was
given by Treasurer John Coombs.
President Ron Meegan presented
a check for $160,000 to the Library
Director Juliane Morian. President
Meegan gave a report on the past
year’s accomplishments, got approval
for two re-elected board members
and also approval for the slate of
officers for the next year. The meeting
ended with the introduction of the
2020 Volunteer of the Year by Ann
Gruenewald, Lorrie Imbirowitz – (see
article elsewhere in the newsletter).
2020 Friends Annual Meeting
Held in October
Vicki Baker Carol Byron Maureen Carty
Barbara Cordaro Charlotte Cowper Karen & Jeff Cuthbertson
Carl & Barbara Dibble Heather Dorn & family Karen Elliott
Shaylee Ferguson & family Beverly Ferrari Norma Frame
Mary Frees Peg & Bill Hayes Joyce Hennessey
Susan Hewitt Elaine Higgins Deborah Key & family
Linda Larsen Linda Leibold Lana Mangiapane
Joseph Mendilyn & family Jennifer Moses Matej Padela
Christine Pencak Kristine Perosky-Tomich Bonnie Pitt
Leah Potoczak Sharon Pulte Sheila & William Quinn
Caryn Reeves Daniel & Jeanne Rioux Michael & Judith Schlaman
Yvonne Shannon Barbara Shelton Martha Smydra
Sharon Snodgrass Lisa Sokol Violet Spencer
Ann Tull Jeff Wagner W illiam Whiting
Bohdan & Nadija Zarewych Jill Ziolkowski
New Members - October 2019 through September 2020
500 Olde Town Road, Rochester, MI 48307
Nonprot Org
US Postage
Rochester, MI
Permit #69
of the Rochester Hills
Public Library
Page3.
Page 12.
Volume 29 Issue 1. Fall 2020
Giving Tuesday December 1, 2020
A recent article by Tara Brach said: “Civic
engagement is a profound act of compassion and
love, a way to shape our culture that will have a
ripple effect for generations to come.” Her article
resonates with GivingTuesday and our library this
year.
COVID-19 has greatly affected each and every
one of us – there are too many different aspects
to list here, but it’s important to let you all know
that this year, on Tuesday, December 1, 2020,
the Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library
is participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day
of giving that harnesses the collective power of
individuals, communities and organizations to
encourage giving and to celebrate generosity
worldwide.
This week, show your love by getting involved and
inspiring others to do the same. We encourage
Click on the PayPal link to allocate a donation to
the Friends. Also, you may work at a company
that doubles donations through matching gift
requests – please check with your employer to
see if a matching gift may be made. This is a one-
day event and should only take a few minutes out
of your day, even during this busy time of year.
Also, please check out the Friends tab at rhpl.org/
connect/visit-the-friends-of-rhpl. to see if there
are any volunteer opportunities you may enjoy;
spending time helping out at one of the book
sales, waiting on customers in the Friends store,
sorting donated books, or assisting with one of
the special events we hold each year.
We at the Friends appreciate every donation
from our community whether it is used books,
volunteer time, or nancial donations. Your
generosity is very much appreciated!
you to join us, the Friends of the Rochester Hills
Public Library, in celebrating GivingTuesday
and give back to our community. We are
a nonprot organization that is entirely
volunteer-run. Please mark your calendar for
Tuesday, December 1st, and then go to the
library’s website at rhpl.org/connect/visit-the-
friends-of-rhpl.
