Friends Make a Big Impact – and you should be one

By Melissa J. Oleen Rowan Public Library

I want to tell you about the best group of friends in Rowan County and why you should join them.  The Friends of Rowan Public Library, a non-profit organization with over 400 members make special things happen at the library every month. 

This past year Friends of RPL provided funding to purchase touch screen computers for digital media kiosks at every branch.  Customers can now download digital materials straight to their electronic devices via text message links with or without a library card.  Being able to offer kiosks in-house has allowed us to test them and determine the best locations for future kiosks.  The Friends have approved funding to help provide similar kiosks at Rowan County YMCA locations in 2019.

Friends of RPL made it possible for the library to secure Bright Start Touring Theatre and offer the family program Let Freedom Ring: The Music and Poetry of Black History.  Thanks to Friends of RPL, Bright Star will be back in February 2019 to present Heroes of the Underground Railroad.

Coming up December 8^th from 10-Noon, the library is offering a timely and informative program on the latest tech craze, digital home assistants.  Friends of RPL made it possible for us to purchase three different digital assistants for the public to test out at this program.  Word has it one lucky attendee may get to take one home with them.

You might not realize the ways this generous organization and its hard working volunteers have befriended you.

Does your family participate in the library’s summer reading program?  Every summer the Friends provide over $10,000 to pay for performers and purchase summer reading prizes.  Fact, summer reading at RPL could not happen without their support.

Do you have a child aged 7-25 yrs. that attended 2^nd grade at a Rowan County school?  This class has listened to nationally known and professional storytellers via the Friends sponsored Stories by the Millstream festival for the past 19 years.

Do you live or work in West Rowan? The Friends of RPL have donated $15,000 towards the new West Branch Library.

Do you like our library staff?  The Friends help make RPL a great place to work and support RPL staff by providing funding to feed over 65 staff members on staff development days, pay speakers for special staff training events, supplement the costs of sending staff off-site for conferences and make a scholarship available to RPL staff attending graduate school in library science.

December is when Friends annual memberships are up for renewal.  I encourage you to renew your Friends of RPL membership for 2019 and consider bumping your membership up to the next level.  For a minimum cost of $10 dollars you can be a part of this amazing group that touches so many people throughout our community each year.  For more information or to renew your membership, visit any RPL branch, call 704-216-8240 or email Cynthia.Owen@rowancountync.gov.