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President's Letter
Balancing Tradition and Safety
Our annual Fourth of July book sale is now, so to speak, “in the books.” And, like just about every other large-scale event, the planning for next year’s sale is already underway with an analysis of what went well and what might be improved.
I know and understand that there are some folks who are not big fans of change. They like things the way they are and see no reason to tinker with success. One of those changes is the Friends decision in recent years to move much of the Independence Day book sale indoors. So, if you have a few minutes for a not-very-interesting explanation of why, please stick around.
Back in 2018 we took a serious look at how to make the sale safer and more comfortable for shoppers and volunteers and less subject to the vagaries of the weather. Mid-summer temperatures were steadily on the rise, hitting the high 90s and even topping 100 degrees on the sizzling blacktop where the tables of books sat.
Even though we have a sizable and dedicated group of volunteers, we are still challenged to find enough to work the sale, especially when it covers more than one day, as was the case this year with the introduction of a members-only presale on July 3. That means that many volunteers—most of whom are well into their 60s and 70s--are working all day for several straight days lugging boxes of books, setting up tables, straightening and replenishing books, and so much more. We owed it to them to find ways to make the job safer.
Also, I’m not much of a gambler. So, it made me and many other Friends more than a bit nervous to have so much riding on the cooperation of Mother Nature, who just might decide to throw a giant wet blanket over our event by substituting a drenching rain for the blistering July heat. Soaked books just aren’t all that appealing.
Taking all that into account, we made the decision to “tinker” with success. And, even though, it made sense to us, it wasn’t a decision we took lightly because we understood that the annual sale was a true tradition for many of our neighbors...and you shouldn’t mess with traditions, right?
In fact, one young woman at this year’s sale summed it up perfectly when she recounted how she had begun attending the sale with her family as a child and still looks forward to it each year as an adult. The book sale is actually a part of the Fourth of July celebration for her. And, I don’t think she’s an outlier.
But, volunteers don’t have the same flexibility that shoppers do. When it’s extremely hot, they still have to show up for the duration while shoppers can make a quick stop and retreat to more comfortable conditions. When it’s rainy, volunteers still have to cope while shoppers can wait it out or simply stay home. So, the question is, “How do we strike the right balance between honoring the traditions many of our customers value and respecting the needs of our volunteers?”
In general, we think the changes we’ve made have achieved that goal. But, we also think we can consider some tweaks for next year. For example, if there are favorable weather predictions, we may decide to move more of the books outdoors to come closer to the “old” traditional format. But, if we want to continue offering a members’ pre-sale on July 3, we can’t have all the books outdoors because that would leave them exposed to a variety of elements overnight.
Anyway, I hope my ramblings have given you a little insight into why we have made some changes to the sale. And, of course, I hope you will continue to support the Friends through your participation in the book sale and in so many other events we sponsor through the library.
Thanks for being a Friend.
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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.
Book Sales
New 'Twists' Help Make Traditional 4th of July Book Sale Successful
The Friends’ annual 4th of July book sale tapped into both the traditional and some new twists this year to generate about $8,000 in book sales and membership dues that will go toward supporting special programming, events and supply needs of the library.
The traditional aspects were on display, with families lined up early for quick access to their favorite titles against a backdrop of township activities that make Independence Day even more special for the community.
But, it was the new “twists” that made the normally one-day event more of a week-long marathon of enjoyment for book lovers, according to Kathy Sullivan, Sales Events Chairperson.
“We wanted to say ‘thanks’ to our members,” she said, “so we opened up from 3-5 pm the day before the 4th of July sale to give members ‘early bird’ access to the books. Many of them expressed their appreciation...not only for the early access but for giving them flexibility to participate in the book sale without it interfering with family plans on the holiday.”
Sullivan added that another new twist was the introduction of a “Donation-Only” sale in the days following the Fourth, where library patrons could claim any remaining books from the sale they wanted and then donate whatever amount they felt was fair in payment.
“Our main mission is to generate funds to support the library,” she explained. “But, at the same time, we want to get books into the hands of as many people as possible. We think the “Donation-Only’ sale was a good way to help achieve both objectives.”
In addition to the “Donations-Only” sale, there are a number of other ways that the remaining unsold books will make their way to people and groups throughout the community, according to Friends President Joe David.
“We kind of have a ‘no book left behind’ policy,” he explained. “We start by culling out some of the more appealing books that, for some reason, weren’t purchased and re-boxing them for future sales. One of our volunteers takes a portion of the remaining books to re-stock Free Little Libraries in the area. Another volunteer takes the remaining large print books for a rehab center. Many other books will find their way into classrooms throughout the area in support of teachers’ efforts. And, whatever is left after all that—80 boxes of books in this case—we donate to a used book dealer.”
Sullivan said that efforts taken by the 4th of July committee to make shoppers more aware of the fact that most of the books for sale were actually inside the library’s Wisner Center seemed to pay off.
“We used to have 20,000 or more books on tables all over the parking lot, with temperatures reaching well over 110 degrees on the sizzling blacktop,” she said. “So, to give both our customers and our generous volunteers respite, we moved most of the books into the air-conditioned building. “But, many people simply thought we had cut back on the number of books. This year better communication helped correct that problem.”
David said that the success of this traditional event lies in the collaboration and complementary talents that so many people bring to the table.
“We could never execute something of this scale without the commitment of the township, KDL, library patrons and, most importantly, the many volunteers who spend their holiday and many hours leading up to the holiday to perpetuate a tradition that has become an important part of the community,” he said. “We are grateful to each one of them.”
The next scheduled book sale will be held on November 3-4 in the library’s Wisner Center.
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The new Members-Only pre-sale on July 3 was a very popular addition to the festivities.
Community
Library Knitting Group Puts Their Hobby to Use Supporting Community Projects
Most people knit for fun, relaxation and, of course, those special gifts that make Christmas and birthdays even more personal for loved ones and friends. And, that’s certainly the case for the group of women who have been meeting once a week for the better part of a decade as part of the “Sit & Stitch” group at the Cascade branch library.
It’s a tight “knit” group that loves to sit and talk together as they create beautiful things to brighten the lives of others. “It’s like a second home to many of us,” explained Diane Clark. “You really look forward to Tuesdays to be with everyone and share ideas and stories.”
But, these accomplished artisans have taken their hobby to another level by donating some of their work and leftover yarn to help others raise money for special causes, like the Lowell Farm & Wildlife Center, according to Clark.
“One member of our group came to us a few weeks ago and told us about this local farm and wildlife center that needed yarn to make things for their Christmas sale to raise money for food and medicine for the animals,” she explained. “A lot of us have knitted for so many years that now, when our relatives see us coming, they hide because we’ve given them so many blankets, mittens and other things. So, using our talents and materials to help this farm seemed liked a better option.”
Their support of the farm started in a most unusual and heart-warming way when they learned that an elderly woman had passed away leaving many half-completed knitting projects behind.
“Her family didn’t know what to do with them,” Clark said. “So, we thought maybe we could finish them and then give them to the farm. It was truly serendipitous for the family, the farm and us.”
The wildlife farm is just the most recent beneficiary of the group’s generosity. Before they were helping animals, they took on a request from the library to make hats and other items for mothers and newborn-to-18-month-old babies.
“You know, we really didn’t have anything else to do but sit around and talk,” Clark said, with a smile. “Lots of us have favorite patterns that we like to do more than once. So, it’s a simple matter to make a second copy of something to donate. For example, an unusual yarn was given to me, and it’s very warm. So, I made a baby blanket, a little sweater and a hat to donate.”
The knitting group considers it all to be a good community service that benefits some of the most vulnerable and adorable members of the community: babies and animals.
“We haven’t actually seen the farm yet,” Clark said. “But, we hope to visit it later on this summer before it gets cold again to see what the farm is all about. Some of those animals are so cute...dogs, cats, geese, ducks and maybe even horses.”
Has anyone ever knitted a sweater for a horse?
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Karen Onufer, Diane Clark, Gerie Borgeling and Noreen Dvorak are part of the "Sit & Stitch' group..
Volunteer Corner
Judy Davis: Finding A Better Way
Editor’s Note: Those of us who work alongside other volunteers in the basement of the library, sorting thousands of books for resale, know firsthand just how much their commitment, passion, sense of humor and concern for others make it a wonderful and meaningful way to invest time and talents in the community.
Judy Davis heard about the Friends of the Library from many people. But, it was a very positive recommendation from a good neighbor that gave her the nudge she needed to sign up for volunteer training.
“My first meeting and training with Laurel in the basement of the library was inviting and warm,” she recalled. “Meeting all the wonderful souls volunteering in the library easily convinced me that this would be the right place for me.”
That was five years ago. Since then, Judy has performed almost every volunteer function, especially working book sales and sorting and boxing books. But, the function that many Friends associate with her the most is one she developed herself “to reduce the plastic footprint that results from audio/visual donations made to our library.”
It started when Judy noticed that the Friends were simply throwing a lot of the plastic in the trash from CD and DVD donations and asked herself “is there a better way to handle this.”
“It didn’t make sense to me to throw everything away when there are places to recycle some of the damaged items and groups that would appreciate donations from us,” she said. “And, many of the items that were still in good condition could be salvaged and go back into our inventory for our book sales and bookstore.”
Marge Ohlman, who manages the basement and bookstore operations for the Friends, said Judy is a perfect example of how someone can make a positive difference by looking for things that need improvement and then acting on her ideas.
“She didn’t need to take on the audio/visuals,” she said. “But, she saw a process that didn’t make sense to her and fixed it rather than complain about it.”
Judy was raised in Grand Rapids and began her academic journey at Marywood Academy before going on to Loretto Heights College (Denver), Loyola University (Rome, Italy) and finally at Grand Valley State University, where she earned her master’s degree in Learning Disabilities.
She recently retired from a rewarding 45 years of teaching. But, her “two children are the true delights of my life.” Now that she is retired, Judy intends to spend more time reading the books she loves rather than just sorting them for the Friends.
“I really enjoy reading historical fiction,” she said. “But, I’m wide open to any ‘good read.’ And, there’s no better way to connect with good books than to volunteer at the library.”
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Judy Davis
Book Discussions
'The Night Watchman' to Kick-Off 2023-2024 Book Discussion Season
Participation in the monthly book discussions at the Cascade branch library continued to regain momentum post pandemic in the first half of 2023. So much so, in fact, that the Friends are expecting a banner season when discussions resume in September with "The Night Watchman.," according to Branch Librarian Sara Moseley.
"There's still plenty of time to read the first book," she said. "If you can't find an available copy stop by the library and ask us to put a hold on one for you."
Here’s a brief synopsis of the 10 books that comprise the 2023-2024 slate. Mark your calendar now and plan to join the discussion.
Sep 18, 2023: The Night Watchman (Louise Erdrich)
Based on the extraordinary life of National Book Award-winning author Louise Erdrich’s grandfather who worked as a night watchman and carried the fight against Native dispossession from rural North Dakota all the way to Washington, D.C., this powerful novel explores themes of love and death with lightness and gravity and unfolds with the elegant prose, sly humor, and depth of feeling of a master craftsman.
Oct 16, 2023: The Paris Apartment (Lucy Foley)
When Jess Hadley escapes England looking for a new start, she expects to stay with her half-brother Ben Daniels in his beautiful Paris apartment. Broke, out of a job, and escaping a scary past, Jess is hoping to use her time in Paris to figure out her next move. However, when she arrives, Ben is nowhere to be found. The longer Ben is away, the more alarmed and curious Jess gets. She turns to Ben’s neighbors for help, only to be met with hostility and unfriendliness at every turn. Jess believes the truth about what happened to her brother lies within the walls of the apartment building, and the more she unearths the more determined she is to find him…dead or alive.
Nov 20, 2023 Black Cake (Charmaine Wilkerson)
In this moving debut novel, two estranged siblings must set aside their differences to deal with their mother’s death and her hidden past–a journey of discovery that takes them from the Caribbean to London to California and ends with her famous black cake. Can Byron and Benny reclaim their once-close relationship, piece together Eleanor’s true history, and fulfill her final request to “share the black cake when the time is right?” Will their mother’s revelations bring them back together or leave them feeling more lost than ever?
Dec 18, 2023 West With Giraffes (Lynda Rutledge)
Hitler is threatening Europe, and world-weary Americans long for wonder. They find it in two giraffes who miraculously survive a hurricane while crossing the Atlantic. What follows is a twelve-day road trip in a custom truck to deliver Southern California's first giraffes to the San Diego Zoo.
Jan 22, 2024 Firekeeper's Daughter (Angeline Boulley)
Eighteen-year-old Daunis Fontaine has never quite fit in, both in her hometown and on the nearby Ojibwe reservation. She dreams of a fresh start at college, but when family tragedy strikes, Daunis puts her future on hold to look after her fragile mother.
Feb 19, 2024 Demon Copperhead (Barbara Kingsolver)
Set in Virginia, Demon Copperhead uses the first-person voice of its titular character to juxtapose the world’s beauty and ugliness. The story exposes the systemic failures of American institutions but celebrates the resiliency of the individual spirit. Kingsolver bases her novel on Charles Dickens’s David Copperfield (1850) to connect the present to the past, to combine cultures, and to adapt Dickens’s mission of using literature to hold a mirror up to society.
Mar 18, 2024 A Well-Behaved Woman (Therese Fowler)
With a nod to Jane Austen and Edith Wharton, in A Well-Behaved Woman Therese Anne Fowler paints a glittering world of enormous wealth contrasted against desperate poverty, of social ambition and social scorn, of friendship and betrayal, and an unforgettable story of a remarkable woman.
Apr 15, 2024 Lessons In Chemistry (Bonnie Garmus)
Lessons in Chemistry (2022) is a bestselling novel by Bonnie Garmus about women’s lives, careers, and struggle for empowerment in the late 50s and early 60s. It follows the story of Elizabeth Zott, a brilliant chemist who is forced to become a television chef when she finds herself a young, single mother.
May 20, 2024 Remarkably Bright Creatures (Shelby VanPelt)
Tova Sullivan has lived alone ever since her husband died. Her house that used to be full of love now feels very empty. Her eighteen-year-old son Erik, mysteriously vanished on a boat over thirty years ago, and Tova has never managed to get the answers she hoped for.
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The Book Discussion season will kick-off with 'The Night Watchman' on September 18.
Your Donations at Work
'Touch-A-Truck' and Other Programs Wow the Kids at the Library
Editor's Note: The Friends are able to help fund many events, programs and equipment needs of the Cascade Branch of KDL thanks to the donation of time, money and used books from members of the community. Here is just one of the ways that your generosity has been put to work in recent months. These activities are sponsored in whole or in part by the Friends.
Summer is an exciting time for kids of all ages, and the Cascade branch of KDL is adding to that fun, with an assist from the Friends, by offering a variety of new and old programs that package educational and entertaining elements into events that continue to attract thousands of kids and adults from the community.
The “Summer Wonder Challenge” remains a big hit year-after-year, offering prize giveaways to kids who manage to keep reading a part of their summer fun.
All you have to do is take a count of all the children’s books that feature trucks to realize just how thrilling it is for kids to come out and “Touch A Truck” at the library’s annual event. This year, more than 1,200 people attended, including some Friends volunteers to work a small pop-up book sale. Trucks and books seem like a sure-fire formula for fun.
The Friends also sponsored the “Magical Creatures Party” on July 21, with a sensory cave for kids that glowed in the dark. The featured “guest” was a goat that the kids could pet accompanied by the reading of a story about a goat that thought it was a unicorn. The children also got to ply their skills at crafts and then topped it all off with popsicles distributed by Friends volunteers.
As summer meanders into the hot August days, “Summer Bash” will make its annual appearance on August 4 with a superhero theme. This Friends-sponsored event will have a bounce house for the kids, obstacle courses and crafts. Some of Cascade’s local firefighting and law enforcement heroes will also attend to interact with the families.
These and many other Friends-sponsored events are only made possible by the people who donate their time, books and money to make them a reality. On behalf of the kids, we thank you!
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This young library patron found out how exciting it is to get behind a fire truck's steering wheel.
Membership News
Members-Only Book Sale Helps Boost New Friends Memberships
The Fourth of July is a wonderful time for the Friends of the Library beyond the sale of books. It’s a celebration of our country, our community and, in a sense, of our Friends’ mission. And, it gives us some visibility that understandably dissipates in the frenetic pace of life for the remainder of the year.
Nothing makes that point better than the significant surge in new and renewal memberships that are purchased each year. This year, we added 33 new memberships, including three Lifetime memberships, and renewed 8 additional members, according to Friends Membership Chair Judy Gillen.
“We wanted to do something special for members this year by having a members-only presale on July 3,” she said, “and our members really appreciated it. As is usually the case, when you do something nice for others, it tends to come right back to you. Which is why we wound up with a lot of new memberships during the pre-sale.”
If you couldn’t make it to the sale and would like to either renew a membership or purchase a new one, you can get information about the options available to you on our website’s “Membership” page. You can also purchase the membership either in our website’s store, at the front desk of the library, or by mailing in your completed application and check to Friends of the Cascade Library, 2870 Jacksmith Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546. All new and renewing members will receive a coupon for a free book from the Friends’ Chapter Two book store.
Please consider either becoming a member or renewing. It’s a very inexpensive way to do a whole lot of good for your community.
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Keep an eye on the "Expiration" date on your membership card so you know when to renew.