There is excitement in the air here at Peninsula Community Library as students come in to our building to visit teachers (who have been back for several weeks), find their lockers and just say "hi"  to those of us who have been here all summer. Yesterday, Old Mission Peninsula School held its Open House and, of course, everyone came in to see us in the library.   School starts September 8 and we cannot wait to have everyone back "home."  There is definitely the feeling that fall is in the air!

Many activities are on the calendar for September here at the library.  Be sure to check our Events page for activities, dates and times.

A Picnic in the Park at Bowers Harbor is planned September 13 from 5-8 p.m.  Funds earned will go to support the operations of the library.  The Happy Time Banjos, a longtime PCL favorite, will be on hand to provide the sounds of music from yesteryear.  Our own Cathy Adams  and Cruz Paniagua have children's activities planned that are sure to guarantee fun for little ones.  There will also be a Silent Auction of home-baked, Old Mission crafted items.  Items that have come in include a primitive painting of the Mission, a hand stitched lap quilt by a gifted patron, an etching by Sarah Wunsch, hand knitted handwarmers and socks, a beaded bracelet, pottery by staff member Carol Olson (who is a true artist), one of Mary Lyon's Peninsula-famous fruit pies, morning fresh eggs from the Kramer chickens, a print by Bill Hyslop, and several signed books by local authors.  We continue to accept donations through September 12.  Just call to let us know!

As many of you may know, with the economic woes in the state of Michigan, funding for the Library of Michigan is in question.  In times of ecomonic decline, libraries are more important than ever, serving as centers of information for questions on unemployment benefits, career development,  and education. Libraries provide public Internet and entertainment in the form of programming, books, periodicals, music and movies - AND it is all free!  Here at Peninsula Community Library this summer, our computers have been in almost constant use.  In August alone, we checked out over 1000 DVDs, this in a small community of just over 5000 residents!  MeL, the Library of Michigan's electronic library, is a vast resource of on-line materials and information for every citizen of Michigan.  MeL provides resources to patrons that small libraries like PCL could not otherwise afford.  An oxymoron perhaps is that library funding is indeed funding that our state cannot afford to cut.  Your PCL Board of Trustees hopes you will consider letting your state representatives and senators know how you feel about library funding.  You can find addresses for your state senators at  http://www.michigan.gov/senator info and for your representative at http://house.michigan.gov/find_a_rep.asp.