Peninsula Community Library

Liibrary Showcase:

Adoption can happen in many different ways; a parent can adopt a child, an organization can adopt a high-way, a person can adopt a cause, and organizations can adopt each other as siblings. An adoption occurs because the people involved believe in the cause. The services and cause of the Peninsula Community Library are believed in and that is apparent by the many ways that the library has been adopted.

A joint, sibling adoption, has occurred between the Old Mission Point Community School and the Peninsula Community Library. Since 1959, when the library was opened it has been housed at the school. The library was first opened with a collection size of 700 books, which were donated and borrowed from community residents, and housed on the stage of the school gym. Later, the collection was joined with the school’s collection to make a joint library housed in the school. The library has a signed contract with the school, but library decisions are made independently by a separate board and staff. To the patrons and students, there is no difference between the school and public library, the integration is seamless. All the patrons see is that some books are stamped with the school library’s name and others are stamped with the community library’s name.

Last May the library moved into their temporary location in Mapleton Market due to renovations that the school is making. The space is just 1,000 square feet, which is 2,000 square feet less than their school location. Most of their 25,000 item school and community collection is in the temporary location. The library has had to pay rent their new location, but through a fundraising drive, 1001 Donation, they have raised $12,000 to cover costs - $7,000 more than the $5,000 needed.

An adoption of books occurred in order to make the move possible. Library staff members boxed up the books and then families adopted the books, stored them for one week, and then delivered them to the Market location. The temporary location is small, but the anticipation of their new space makes the move exciting. The old library is being gutted down to it’s footprints and then re-built. The cost for the remodel is being covered by the school with the only cost to the library being the cost of remodeling their office. The existing library furniture is being integrated into the new space. In August of this year, an adoption of books will occur again when the library moves back into their “old” space.

The Traverse Area District Library (TADL), has adopted the Peninsula Library by providing a resource for them. Through a contract, TADL provides services for the library which include interlibrary loan services and technology assistance. The library is not a branch, but an independent library that was “grandfathered” in. Peninsula Library functions as a part of the TADL system.

Part of an adoption is making a formal commitment. The library’s Friends of the Library group have made a commitment to helping the library. They have 125 members, which allows the group to take on many projects. In 2000 the library underwent renovations which included adding a garden, which the FOL group maintains. The garden has also been moved. It is now at temporary locations all over the city and will be replanted at the library once the renovations are complete.

The library has been adopted by many, but the biggest adoption has occurred by the library and its staff members, the library has adopted their community. The staff of the library care about their community and that is made evident by the services they offer – wireless internet at their temporary location, a Reading Club, variety of children’s a adult programs, “story Stew” story time, annual book sale, and soon to be coming - Spanish programs and collection.

Adoptions often benefit both of the parties involved. The adoptions at the library bind their rural community together. We salute the Peninsula Community Library for all they have done for their community and are proud to have them as a member of the Mid-Michigan Library League.

Mid-Michigan Library League- 210 1/2 N. Mitchell- Cadillac, MI 49601
Phone: 800-968-0046 Fax: 800-968-3297

Website design: Holly Mercer
Last Update: March 29, 2007