Fall into Fall with Friends!
Dear Friends,
As Friends of the Library, I don't need to tell you how important libraries are to any community.  Always centers for the promotion of literacy, free access to information for all, and educational and enriching programming, our libraries are also centers of connection to a wider community.
 
It continues to be a difficult year for the Richmond Public Library with reduced staffing due to attrition, hiring freezes, and the culmination of year-after-year budget cuts. These cuts reduce funds affecting purchases of technology, materials for circulation, hours of operation, and services available at your local libraries. You can advocate for your library by contacting your City Council member to ask for their support in finding interim funding for the RPL to support hiring for key library positions and core library services.
 
And don't forget to thank your library staff for their dedication in continuing the RPL's mission to Inform, Enrich and Empower.
 
Ruth DeBoer
President, Friends of the Richmond Public Library
 
P.S. - Don't forget to renew your membership! We are looking forward to holding a Fall Book Sale (although in a different format this year). And please join us for light refreshments at our Annual Meeting, to be held at the Main branch on Friday, November 5th at 6 pm.
Book Sale!
Read Up! Richmond program at RPL!
 
 
We hope you were able to attend this fantastic event! Both authors were insightful and thought provoking, and their conversation reflected their obvious regard and respect for each other. The Friends are proud to continue our support of outstanding programming at the Richmond Public Library. 
 
News from Special Collections
The volunteers in the Special Collections room have embarked on an exciting new project.  After noticing that the valuable scrapbooks kept by the librarians since 1922 were falling into disrepair, a new project began to scan the scrapbooks, print out the images, and put them together in new binders. These scrapbooks contain every article from The Richmond Times-Dispatch and The Richmond News Leader about the library, its formation and history.
 
If anyone would like to join these volunteers, please do not hesitate to come help. Email Kelly Kyle at specialcollectionsrpl@gmail.com to begin the conversation.  The ultimate goal is to add images of these scrapbooks to our Omeka site so that all may have access to this amazing resource. Omeka is a free, open-source content management system for the display of online digital collections.
 
As of this date, you are able to access the Friends Newsletters since 1960 and the Annual Reports of the Librarian to the Mayor since 1922.  Just  go to rplspecialcollections.omeka.net. 
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Images from our past 
Below are images from newspaper articles from the 1920s found in scrapbooks. What an amazing historic resource. We are so grateful to the volunteers preserving these scrapbooks for future generations.
 
 
 
The Way We Were: Joseph Bryan 
 
In the 1920s, Joseph Bryan, who was the force behind the founding of the library, was the publisher of The Richmond Times Dispatch and The Richmond News Leader.  He put a priority on including articles about the library in those newspapers to encourage public interest.  Without his leadership, the library system we have now would probably not exist. The power of the press becomes evident in perusing the library scrapbooks.
 
This institution was also fortunate in the hiring of the first city librarian, Thomas Parker Ayer.  He worked at the Library of Congress and as a librarian at the Federal Trade Commission, and came with a fresh perspective and new ideas.  One innovative idea was to create a library system made up of several branches throughout the city.  From the beginning, he felt literacy comes with the availability of books.  Because of his foresight and drive, when the library moved from its first temporary location on Franklin Street, it also opened the Rosa D. Bowser branch located at 00 Clay Street to serve Black patrons. While allowing library access to all, the branches remained segregated until the late 1940s.
 
Fantastic Friend!
Nina Conway
 

People join the Friends of the Richmond Public Library because they love and want to support our city and our library. Long time board member, Nina Conway is no exception.
 
If she had to pick, the Gellman Room concerts would be her favorite library programming and she would love to see more community use of the library facilities.
 
Before she retired, Nina taught high school math all over the country and now enjoys taking part in all kinds of music activities including cello quartets and chamber music groups. Nina started playing the bass in middle school because the music teacher thought she was tall and needed a bass player. In high school, Nina switched to the cello. Last year, when many musicians were out of work, several groups started playing outside to provide entertainment to the neighborhood. Individuals sponsorships were appreciated and there was always a donation pot put out.
 
Also during this time, when in person access to the library was restricted, Nina took it upon herself to go door to door to hand out Friends membership envelopes, talk to her neighbors about all the wonderful things the library adds to our city, and how important it is be be a Friend of the library.
 
Thank you, Nina!!
 
Won't you consider joining the Friends of the Richmond Public Library Board? Please contact us here if you would like more information.


Membership
 
We are so grateful that membership renewals have continued to come in during this time. If you are able, please consider making an additional donation. We are excited to be able to hold a book sale this fall, see you there!
 
Link to join us and How to donate
 
Other ways to support the Friends:
Amazon Smile
Kroger Community Rewards: Member Organization #JU546
 
Thank you for being a Friend!                                               Fall, 2021