Friends of the Troy Public Library Earns Outstanding Friends of the Library Award

The Friends of Michigan Libraries (FOML) Membership and Public Relations Committee has selected the Friends of the Troy Public Library as one of two 2011 Outstanding Friends of the Library. The Friends will be presented with a plaque designating the award and a check for $400 at the FOML annual membership meeting on April 20 at the Okemos Library.

The Friends of Michigan Libraries chose the Troy Friends from a group of 16 other organizations based on their application, which showed the organization “carried out an outstanding project or activities that had significant impact on their library’s services to the community.” 

"I am very proud of The Friends determination and dedication to proving the value of the library to our community,” Friends President Rhonda Hendrickson said. “This award was made possible by the hard work of the Friends and the un-yielding efforts of library supporters across our city and beyond."

According to Charles D. Hanson, president of FOML, the committee was “impressed with the successful activities that the Troy Friends carried out that saved the Library from closing.”

Troy Public Library Director Cathy Russ commended the Troy Friends in a recent letter, saying: "For their passionate advocacy to save the Troy Library, for involving and energizing the community in a positive and productive way (which continues to this day), for sharing their enthusiasm and love for libraries, and for their efforts in helping the Library staff cope with an extraordinarily difficult situation, the Friends of the Troy Public Library are a shining example of what a Friends group can accomplish."

The Troy Public Library is a jewel in the community and the Friends of the Troy Public Library have promoted and supported the library for more than 53 years. The Friends started the first reading room in Troy in 1958 and continues to promote and support the Troy Public Library’s essential role in the community by fostering library initiatives through advocacy, volunteer assistance and fundraising. 

Over the years, FTPL has funded the highly successful Job Seekers programs, children’s summer reading, Special Needs Collection and many cultural and educational programs. The Friends provide tens of thousands of volunteer hours to the Library and offer a place for students to gain necessary community service hours.

The Friends of the Troy Public Library is an all-volunteer non-profit organization. Membership in the Friends helps make their support for the Library possible.  Membership for an individual is just $10. Membership and volunteer information is available in their Book Shop and Friend Shop and on the Friends website at www.friendstpl.org. Join the Friends and continue the great community support for our nationally-ranked public library.

The preceding information was submitted by Cindy Stewart.