The President's Letter
We'll Be Back!
I don’t have to tell you that we just wrote the final chapter on what was a very difficult year in so many ways and for so many people. And while our challenges at the library certainly rank very far down the list in severity when compared to what many businesses and individuals are experiencing, they still had a subtle, but profound, impact on the lives of our volunteers, library staff and the many people who have come to depend on us for access to affordable used books and family-friendly events.
Unfortunately, this disruption of the normal rhythm of activities is likely to persist well into 2021, if not longer. Book sales, Flix @ the Library, Booked-For-Lunch and so many other Friends-sponsored fixtures that we have all come to appreciate will remain on indefinite hiatus until we recover the confidence to share the same space and air again.
I know the suspension of activities at the library has been particularly hard on the many people like me who got so much back from their volunteer efforts in the form of friendship and a sense of doing something truly worthwhile. So, to them and to all of our members, patrons and customers, I want to say thank-you for your support and assure you that we will do everything we can, as soon as we can, to resume the many activities and events that help make the Cascade community special.
---Joe David
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Benefits of a Friend's Membership
When you become a Friend, you help support an important part of the social fabric of your community. Plus, you earn "Early Bird" privileges at most book sales, which means you gain entry to the sales in advance of non-members to have first shot at the books of greatest interest to you. And, we will notify you of any scheduled book sales or special events. So, you'll never miss out on an opportunity.
Cascade Library to Unveil New Aquarium
March 5 Target Date
The Cascade library is on track to unveil a new aquarium by the first week in March courtesy of one of its most dedicated supporters, Claude Robinson, in honor of his late wife and Cascade educator, Marion Robinson.
The custom-built, circular aquarium will have a 61-inch diameter and will be home to a number of colorful freshwater fish that will both educate and entertain library patrons, especially children, according to Vanessa Walstra, manager of the Cascade branch library.
“We are so grateful for the efforts of the Friends to help make the aquarium a reality and, of course, for the incredible generosity of Mr. Robinson,” she said. “Without his financial and moral support, I doubt that we could have made the aquarium a reality.”
As it turns out, there’s a lot more to an aquarium than meets the eye. For example, safety factors need to be taken into account for both viewers and the fish. And, water isn’t light! The approximate weight of the aquarium when full will be 6,500 pounds, which necessitated some re-engineering of the floor to ensure that the aquarium would remain on the main floor and not relocate to the basement. Also, the fish need to be quarantined for three weeks prior to being introduced into the aquarium.
While a specific completion date is still uncertain, Walstra said that she hopes to have the aquarium up and running by March 5. “We had hoped to invite Mr. Robinson and the public to a dedication ceremony to honor Mrs. Robinson and introduce the fish to their adoring public,” she said. “But, the pandemic has forced us to postpone the event until later in 2021.”
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An aquarium similar to the one pictured here will be introduced at the library in early March.
Pop-Up Book Sales May Return in the Spring
Mini One-Day Sidewalk Sales May Have to Do for Now
The pandemic has disrupted many activities that we may have taken a bit for granted in the past. And, while certainly not one of the most critical, our quarterly used book sales can be counted among them, giving birth to smaller, safer pop-up sales outside the library.
Two of our super volunteers, Kathy Sullivan and Ellen Gray, introduced these mini, one-day sales in front of the library in the fall and made some visitors to the library happy with a selection of, primarily, hard cover fiction until the weather got cold in December and they had to shut down shop.
If pandemic safety precautions continue to put the kibosh on our traditional book sales into the spring, you can count on Kathy and Ellen to wheel out the carts of books for more of these one-day sidewalk sales, according to Joe David, president of the Friends of the Cascade Library.
“Since these pop-up sales are somewhat spur-of-the-moment and dependent upon variables like the weather, we don’t have a set schedule for them,” he explained. “However, when we do have a few days advance notice, we will try to let members know via email and our website in case they want to plan their next trip to the library to coincide with the sale.”
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Friends Scholarship Deadline is Feb 15
There's Still Time to Enter
With the necessarily unpredictable nature of school schedules this year and all the juggling that teachers, administrators and students are faced with to deal with the pandemic, it’s easy to understand why the annual Friends scholarships could get lost in the shuffle. But, it’s not too late to submit an application for one of two $1,500 scholarships that will be awarded by the Friends to deserving students in the Cascade public school system.
If you are a graduating senior at one of the Forest Hills public high schools or know someone who might want to apply, click on this link to go to our "Scholarships" page and print out the application form. Then, simply follow the directions on how to throw your hat into the ring for a scholarship.
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Finding Homes For Books
Sale Events Have Stalled, But the Flow of Books Hasn't
Even though we have had to, at times, turn off the flow of donated books into the Friends, the cancellation of used book sales and less access to the Chapter Two bookstore in the library have contributed to a build-up in our used book inventory. In addition, the library staff has taken advantage of pandemic-induced downtime to do some overdue housekeeping, purging hundreds of books from the library’s shelves to make room for the next generation of writings. And, those books have found their way into the Friends’ inventory of books for sale.
Ever resourceful, Friends volunteers have found effective and often charitable ways to utilize the excess inventory. Here are just some examples of the ways the Friends are helping people—especially children—stay supplied with reading material during the pandemic:
· Donations of, perhaps, thousands of books to a contact at Forest Hills Eastern who then redistributes them to the other high schools and elementary and middle schools throughout the Forest Hills district.
· A donation of boxes of books to Godwin Schools.
· Donations of books to the new Ada library through former Cascade librarian Penni Zurgable—who has transferred to the Ada branch--to help their fledgling Friends group get their new bookstore off the ground.
· Numerous charitable donations of books to Grand Rapids Alcoholics Anonymous, the Department of Social Services Children’s Room, the Mel Trotter Women’s Shelter, several “Little Free Libraries” throughout the area and Bibles for Missions (a non-profit in Kentwood).
In addition to all the donations, Friends board member Laurel Ingram has managed to replace some of the revenue lost to the pandemic by inviting eight local dealers to do some shopping (one at a time and under strict Covid-19 safety protocols) in the basement.
“These are loyal partners of ours who, like so many other small business owners, are often struggling during the pandemic,” she explained. “So, this is a win-win for them and us.”
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Remembering Some True Friends
Jo Ott
Jo Ott, who died on June 10, 2020, at the age of 91, will be familiar to many of you who attended the Friends’ popular book discussions. Until she retired from the board in 2012, Jo worked to help shape the group’s annual reading list and led the sessions with co-chair Jean Vander Laan, ably assisted by Suzanne of the Cascade Library staff and, when extra help was needed, by current book discussion chair Linda Berra.
Attendance grew under Jo and Jean’s capable leadership, rising from the low to mid-teens at a typical meeting to around 30 by the time Jo decided to turn her attention to what was probably her absolute favorite pastime—gardening.
A member of the Kent Garden Club since 1977 (and club president from 1988-89), she was a master gardener, master judge emeritus, and recipient of the life member achievement award.
Unfailingly kind and considerate, Jo was a steady presence on the Friends’ board of directors who conveyed her love of books at every turn. Even after stepping down from her position, she continued to attend book discussions whenever she could until her increasingly frail health took its toll.
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Jo Ott
Arlene Burlingham
Arlene Burlingham, another former board member with deep ties to the Cascade community, passed away at the age of 98 on September 25, 2020. Arlene held several key positions with the Friends during her long tenure, including newsletter editor, head of the early morning set-up shift at the July 4th book sale, and, last but certainly not least, chair of what was then called the Perpetual Books committee of the Friends—the humble forerunner of today’s Chapter Two Bookstore.
Heading a small group of about a half-dozen volunteers, Arlene made the best of a few book carts and some library shelving space to sell used books inside the library year-round. Over time, she was able to increase sales from several hundred dollars per month to at least $1,600 or more, a sum that contributed greatly to the $130,000 the Friends were able to donate to the library expansion project in 2005-06. In fact, her team’s hard work in large part helped turn the bookstore from a dream into a reality by demonstrating just how much money could be made selling gently used but still very desirable books to patrons at bargain prices.
In addition to her ongoing quest to take Perpetual Books to new heights, Arlene chaired the early morning set-up shift at numerous July 4th book sales. She took charge and ran it by herself, rounding up all of her volunteers, giving each of them an assignment, and then directing activities on that very busy morning with her characteristically soft-spoken determination.
Easy-going and always cheerful, she was an unflappable, no-fuss, no-drama lady—good qualities to have at 6:00 a.m. on a holiday morning with dozens of volunteers to supervise and hundreds of eager customers lined up to start shopping!
Arlene retired from the Friends in mid-2006, shortly after the library expansion was complete and the brand-new Chapter Two Bookstore was getting ready to open for business. As she explained to me, she felt the time was right for someone else to take over her job and figure out the future direction of the Friends’ new venture into bookselling. She then became more involved with the Cascade Historical Society, an organization that had been founded under the auspices of the Friends. That commitment brought her into the library on a fairly regular basis and helped us to stay in touch
. Arlene was by nature a person the Friends could always count on to be sensible and fair-minded in her work on behalf of the board and the entire organization. Her meticulous attention to detail was evident in every project she tackled. And she was so modest she would never think of tooting her own horn, even when she richly deserved to do so.
Along with her husband, Charlie Burlingham, a former Cascade Township trustee and a member of the citizens’ group that launched the construction of the current library facility, Arlene was one of those quietly capable volunteers that every civic-minded operation needs but may not be privileged enough to have. We are very glad—and very grateful—that she chose to devote herself to the Friends for so many years.
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Arlene Burlingham
Jeanne Weiland
On March 29, 2020, founding member Jeanne Weiland passed away at the age of 93. Over the course of the more than four decades she was associated with the Friends, Jeanne served in nearly every capacity on the board, including president.
In addition, she and fellow board member Paula Rowland worked together to organize many of the Friends’ Booked-for-Lunch events at a time when the group held four such luncheons a year. (We’re now down to two.)
Jeanne was also a faithful July 4th book sale volunteer up until just a few years ago. Though her days of standing outdoors unloading boxes of heavy books were behind her at that point, she was still happy to contribute in any way she could. So she went to work indoors helping count the day’s proceeds, prompting her to marvel at how much money the sale brought in compared to the “old days” when a couple thousand dollars was something to celebrate.
Quiet and unassuming, easy to like and to chat with, Jeanne was always someone you could count on to do whatever needed to be done. As was noted in her obituary, “She was a wonderful example of how to value the right things, give of yourself, and make your own happiness.”
Jeanne Weiland