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By any standard, we are a small rural library. We run on a budget of about $400,000, which includes everything from payroll and personnel liabilities, insurance, collection development, programming, indoor and outdoor maintenance, lawn and garden upkeep, heating and cooling, repairs and more.
We have a full-time staff equivalent of only 3.15. You have an amazing staff here at Peninsula Community Library who go above and beyond, but what you may not know is that we also have an incredible array of volunteers. What do they do? As just a sampling, they shelve, prepare craft materials, organize historical documents, garden, help with Friends fundraisers, assemble and repair, read shelves and more.
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A group of retired guys comes whenever we have significant items to put together and/or fix. They will be here Wednesday to assemble, bolt, remove, repair and install. Volunteers move boxes of books to the Township basement for storage until the big sale. Others accept your book donations in the Carriage House on the first and third Mondays of the month from 4 – 6 p.m., even in frigid weather.
A great way to get involved and help the library is through the Friends of PCL. Everything they do and earn helps the library in some distinct way.
Bayshore Marathon. On May 24, the Friends will work at an aid station on Bluff Road for which they are paid. It is a lot of fun. My 11-year-old grandson and I are already signed up. However, this year, we are short volunteers. A minimum number of people are required to make this happen. Please consider helping out. The event starts early — 6:15 a.m., but we are done by 11:30 at the latest, allowing you to enjoy the rest of the Memorial Day weekend.
Sign up by emailing me, calling the library, (231) 223-7700,or coming in and adding your name to the poster in the foyer. It is a guaranteed fun way to support your community library!
The Lori Brickman Memorial Walking Trail. Join us May 17 at 11 a.m. for the dedication of the walking trail around the perimeter of PCL. Lori, who passed away in 2024, was an active Board member who loved the library and its land. Hear about our vision for the trail, take a stroll, enjoy refreshments.
Plant Based and Plentiful. Our good friend Maxine Ferris talks about her journey to veganism on May 19 at 6:30 p.m. She will share recipes, samples and resources, and will also take questions. You must register by May 16.
The Regulars
Peninsula Insights – speakers of interest at 7 p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. Story Stew for preschoolers – the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Local History Tim Talks – the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays at 2 p.m. Reading Dogs Lani and Rosie – Tuesdays from 3:30 – 5 p.m. Threads – Mondays 10-noon – bring a project, work among friends!
Gentle Yoga with Tina Livingston – Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. for a small fee. Pageturners – the 3rd Thursday at 6:30 pm. (The May book is “Wild” by Kristin Hannah. -jb) Books available on a first come basis. Wing Watchers Birding Group – April – September on the 1st Monday at 6:30 p.m.
Practice Spanish – Spanish Meetup, on the 3rd Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Takeout craft bags available for kids the 1st full week of the month. Adult craft bags seasonally. While supplies last!
New for little ones on the 1st Mondays of the month for a small fee, we offer Fox’s Fiesta, My Person & Me Movement Class with Stirling Saur, a pediatric speech-language pathologist and certified yoga instructor!
At Your Service. PCL offers a Library of Things, a Seed Library, books, movies, puzzles, games, Explorer Bags, STEM kits, large print books, a Children’s Garden with a play village & more. Little Free Libraries have books for the taking. Stay Sharp Kits are available for adult patrons in memory care. Printing, faxing, copying and laptops available onsite. Wireless service accessible in the parking lot 24/7. Limited notary service available by appointment.
Note: The library will be closed May 24 – 26. Also, when TCAPS is closed due to weather, PCL is also closed.
Be sure to sign up as a Bayshore volunteer! “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi
Vicki Shurly, Director
Peninsula Community Library
2893 Island View Road
Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 223-7700; [email protected]
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SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWSPAPER: I started Old Mission Gazette in 2015 because I felt a calling to provide the Old Mission Peninsula community with local news. After decades of writing for newspapers and magazines like the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Family Circle and Ladies' Home Journal, I really just wanted to write about my own community where I grew up on a cherry farm and raised my own family. So I started my own newspaper.
Because Old Mission Gazette is a "Reader Supported Newspaper" -- meaning it exists because of your financial support -- I hope you'll consider tossing a few bucks our way if I mention your event, your business, your organization or your news item, or if you simply love reading about what's happening on the OMP. In a time when local news is becoming a thing of the past, supporting an independent community newspaper is more important now than ever. Thank you so much for your support! -Jane Boursaw, Editor/Publisher, Old Mission Gazette
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