Friends of the Munising Public Library
What’s Been happening~December 2010
The Friends of the Munising Public Library
810 State Hwy. M-28 West, Ste. A
Munising, MI 49862
TaleSpinners Story Time
with Ms. Penny continues to meet on Monday mornings from 10:00-10:45. All preschool children and
their caregivers are invited for stories, crafts, and fun!
Important! Please Read!
If you wish to receive this newsletter by mail, use the sign up form near the end of this newsletter.
Either mail it or bring it to the library. If you would like email notification, also provide your email
address. After the first issue only those who have turned in a sign up form requesting a hard copy will
receive them in the mail. There will be 50 copies of the newsletter available at the library. The
newsletter is also available online at www.uproc.lib.mi.us on the Friends Page.
One Million Pennies Campaign
Is Huge Success
The Million Pennies Campaign is over and we should each pat ourselves on the back as this fundraiser
was not only a huge success for us financially, but has also been a monumental feather in our PR cap. If
there has ever been any doubt about our ability, it has certainly been dispelled. To be sure, all of Alger
County knows who we are now!! The excitement was really high on the morning of February 8th when
we met at the Credit Union to count the pennies and the excitement is still on as we plan the most
effective ways to use this money to benefit the library and its programming. $10,363.07 was collected.
FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY PRESIDENT’S REPORT
June, 2010
The Board members, library staff, and volunteers have again made this a very productive
year.
In January, we had a planning meeting at my house. Using the fund-raisers and programs
from the previous year, we determined which ones we would do again. Once that was decided,
we set a calendar of dates. The second Monday of the month was chosen as the meeting
date for the Board.
A printer scanner was purchased in October with donations from the community and the
Sault Ste Marie Tribe of the Chippewa Indians.
We held our third annual bake sale in December. It was a successful sale. One comment
was to have sugar free items next time. Our Christmas tree decorating contest doesn’t bring in
much money, but it certainly makes the library have a festive look.
Our biggest focus was to finish the Million Penny Campaign. We triumphed in midJanuary, and held a celebration at the Munising Community Credit Union. The public was invited
and refreshments were served. Brad Houle, former manager of the Credit Union, returned to drop
the millionth penny into the box.
In early February, the pennies were counted by Board members and volunteers. Rick Gatiss
and Ellen Johnston, from the Credit Union, were on hand to commander the count. John Hout
of Fitz Service Corporation in Wisconsin brought a heavy duty counting machine. It took us the
whole day to do the count, but it was well worth it!
The penny box has moved on to Ishpeming to their Credit Union. The Friends are doing their
campaign to benefit the children’s library. Two plaques were placed on the box stating who donated the
materials and who built it. The other one states the dates of our penny campaign.
In March, in cooperation with the Munising Moose Lodge, we held a St. Patrick’s Day dinner. It was
fairly successful. We didn’t make as much as we did at our Tax Relief dinner, but corned beef is more
expensive than ground beef!
In April, we set up our booth of used books at the Alger County Home, Sport and Craft Show. This year
we also sold t-shirts and sweatshirts. New book bags with our Friends of the Library logo were also
available for sale.
For Michigan Week, in May, the Friends hosted a reception for those patrons that purchased
books about Michigan or were by Michigan authors. It is also our night to honor volunteers.
Once again, we will hold a flea market in the Credit Union community building and in the parking lot
on April 30th.
Programs such as Tale Spinners for preschoolers, Club Read, for adults, and a Mother/Daughter
group meet throughout the year either at the library or a location in town. The Summer Reading
program has started. The Monday morning programs will begin in July.
The Friends of the Munising Public Library now publishes a newsletter. The committee for the
newsletter hopes to publish two times a year in June and December.
From the Memorial Fund, several chairs and a new table were purchased this spring. Along with
the display case, this area is now a wonderful spot for patrons to sit and read or enjoys the collections
that are exhibited in the case.
Many hours of hard work has made it possible to accomplish the many items that are listed in
this report. Everyone’s time and effort is greatly appreciated.
Respectfully submitted,
Penny Hatt
Project to Aid Genealogists Seeks Volunteers
The Upper Peninsula Superiorland Cooperative has a project underway in which volunteers are reading
obituaries from archived newspapers and uploading the information into a State of Michigan database
which is searchable on-line. This is of particular interest to genealogists. The library receives many
requests throughout the year asking for obituary information that appeared in local newspapers. Having
that information on-line will much easier for everyone involved. Duane Hargis is presently involved in
this project, but additional help would be appreciated. If anyone is interested, please contact Duane
(387-5115) or any of the library staff.
One of the side benefits is learning a lot about Munising and Alger County in the early days. You get a
real insight to what life was like in this area 50, 75, or 100 years ago. Some of the old newspaper ads
are real eye openers! Also, how did Buckshot Beauprey get his name? What kind of trouble did the
lumberjacks get into on a Saturday night? How did people get back and forth to Marquette in the
winter? Who were the “movers and shakers” in Munising? Where did the early immigrants to Munising
come from? Answers to questions like these are in the Munising Public Library microfilms. Even if you
don’t want to be involved in the obituary project, just come in and browse the old newspapers. It is
really quite interesting.
WE NEED YOU!!!
Every Friend of Library member is important. To do the most for our library, we need your help. At present, a
small percentage of the Friend’s membership is doing most of the work involved in our organization. Be
aware you are invited to come to meetings and to become officers. We urge you to volunteer where you
can. We want your ideas and, again, we truly need your help. If we all do what we can, our library will
benefit greatly and that will benefit everyone. That’s what it’s all about! isn’t it?
Many Thanks To….
...everyone who helped to make this such a successful year! A new microfilm reader/scanner, new comfortable
computer chairs, and a display case have been added to the library. Profitable bake and book sales, flea market,
dinner, and the million pennies project are some of the Friends’ fundraisers.
What’s Happening??
Friends’ Board of Directors’ meeting summaries and more.
by Carol Kloskowski
Have you noticed the flowers on both sides of the library door? Special thanks go to Eileen
Erickson of the Alger County Yard & Garden Club who did the planting and is continuing to care for
the plants through the season.
Friends also paid workshop registration fees for two of our librarians and a platform truck recently
purchased to help with moving large items and boxes of books to and from book sales. A flea market at
the Munising Credit Union was the latest fund raiser. It was held on April 30th. Donated garage sale
type items and excess library books were sold. The turn out was less than last year, but Friends made a
profit of approximately$640 on used books and other resale items. We haven’t had a final tally on the
profit derived from new sweatshirts and tee-shirts that were sold at the event.
With the Million Pennies Drive over, it was decided by the Friends board to purchase a plaque
for the Credit Union to show them our appreciation for all they have done to help with raising the
$10,000. Also, a metal plate will be purchased and attached to the million pennies box with the names
of the people responsible for the materials it’s made of, the person who made it, and Friends of the
Munising Library name and where and when we used it. The box will go to Ishpeming Friends of the
Library, who plan to use it for a Million
Penny Drive.
At the May board meeting a nominating committee was to be formed to nominate officers to
replace Penny Hatt, president, and Jolene Hetherington, treasurer, whose terms of service are ending.
No one volunteered for this committee. The matter was taken up again at the April Pot Luck Meeting
where it was decided that the organization needs to be reorganized. Another meeting was set for
September 12th at Dave Worel’s house to formulate the re-organization. Also at the Pot Luck, the slate
of board members Duane Hargis, Elizabeth Rajala and Nancy Dwyer, were re-elected for 3year terms.
Elected as board members for the first time were: Rita Hale (3 year term), Penny Hatt (3year term), and
Jack Carberry (2 year term).
A safe for our documents on microfilm, has been placed in the storage room at the front of the
library. Char is looking into security issues to protect other microfilms. There will be a planning
meeting (not reorganization) at Dave Worel’s house on Monday, July 18th at 6:30 p.m. Any Friend of
the Library interested in planning for the organization is invited to attend.
Finally, an extra big thank you must go to our outgoing president, Penny Hatt. She has worked
tirelessly for Friends and for the funds we’ve raised, that are now available to the library, are there in a
large part because of her hard work and commitment. This is also true of our outgoing treasurer, Jolene
Hetherington, who has done a superlative job of tracking our funds.
Librarian’s Corner
Congratulations to the Friends who worked so hard on the Million Pennies. Goal has been reached and
a celebration will be held at the Credit Union Friday Jan. 21st from 1-3pm.
Many books and books-ontape were donated to the library in honor of friends and family members for
the holidays. What a great way to share the joy!
Calendar of Events
Dec. 16……...Bake Sale at Credit Union 9:30-3:30
January 6…..Club Read (Bring your favorite poem)
7:00-8:00 p.m. at the library
January 10…General meeting & Potluck at Credit
Union 5:30
January 19...Mother/Daughter Book Discussion Group 6:00-7:30 p.m. at the Falling Rock Bookstore
and Café
Every Monday…Preschool TaleSpinners Story Time with Ms. Penny 10:00-10:45 a.m. for preschool
children and caregivers
Phone: 906-387-2125 Fax: 906-387-5179
Winter Library Hours
Sunday———12:00-6:00
Monday——––10:00-8:00
Tuesday——--10:00-8:00
Wednesday—–10:00-8:00
Thursday——-10:00-8:00
Friday———–10:00-4:00
Saturday———–Closed
June, July, & August
Library Hours
Monday———10:00-4:00
Tuesday——--10:00-8:00
Wednesday—–10:00-8:00
Thursday——-10:00-8:00
Friday———–10:00-4:00
Sat. & Sun. ——Closed
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Friends of the Munising Public Library
Membership
Please detach and return with your dues payment. Checks should be made payable to:
Friends of the Munising Public Library
810 State Hwy. M-28 W
Munising, MI 49862
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