January 2025 Newsletter

Happy New Year Friends!


I hope that you had a peaceful holiday season and that 2025 has been good for you so far.


This new year brings a metamorphosis – after 42 years the Rocklin Friends of the Library are now the Placer County Friends of the Library! Our name change comes after years of discussion, the redistricting of our County Board of Supervisors, recent advocacy for increased hours at our library, and the fact that there will be a new branch of the Placer County Library located in West Placer.


Our name is pretty much the only thing that has changed. We are still located in Rocklin and operate the used bookstore at the Rocklin Library, we will continue to curate our Little Free Libraries in our Rocklin Parks and we will still provide Storytimes at the Fire and Police Stations in Rocklin. What does change is that we will be advocating for all Placer County Libraries and engaging our new neighbors in West Placer around support for their future library.


We would love for you to be a “founding member” of the Placer County Friends of the Library and you can do that by going to our website and becoming a member at any level. While membership doesn’t obligate you to attend any meetings, we sure would like to meet you. Our next meeting is February 11 at 10:00 am in the Rocklin Library Community Room.


In Service,


Michele Vass

President 2025

Jim Holmes is the inaugural recipient of the “Library Champion Award”

In November, the Placer County Friends of the Library voted to honor retiring Placer County Supervisor, Jim Holmes, as their first “Library Champion.” Holmes was known for his support of the Placer County Library system and as a frequent patron of the libraries in Auburn and Rocklin.


“We in Rocklin were fortunate to have Jim representing us for the past two decades,” said Friends of the Library President Michele Vass. “Our Granite Drive library is the newest in the system and came about because of a unique partnership between the County, the City of Rocklin, and the Friends. Jim was an integral part in ensuring our library grew as our community did.”


Upon learning of Holmes’ retirement, the Friends got to work on figuring out a way to honor his contributions and they came up with a new annual award. Some of the criteria for the award are:


  • Evident appreciation and support of the mission of public libraries
  • Activities that contribute to legislation favorable to Placer County public libraries
  • Activities that contribute to improvements in the funding and resources that further Placer County Library service
  • Lifelong use and devotion to public libraries
  • Activities that support and advance the mission of the Placer County Friends of the Library

 

Vass presented Holmes with his award at his retirement dinner on December 10 at the Blue Goose in Loomis. Holmes was unaware that the Friends had created an award and was touched that it would continue into the future honoring other Placer County Library supporters for years to come.

The Blizzard and the Book Drive: A Tale of Generosity and Quick Thinking

This winter, our Rocklin community was extremely generous. We had enough new books, and funds donated to purchase new books, that 450 under-resourced kids received a new book for Christmas! 

 

That was the happy ending to the tale of “The Blizzard and the Book Drive,” but that’s not the whole story… 

 

Two weeks before the new books had to be delivered to our partners at KidzCommunity for distribution, our book order was placed, and the books were slated to be delivered in Rocklin on December 4, two days before distribution. 

 

We didn’t have a polar vortex during Thanksgiving on our bingo card for 2024, and our book order was stuck in Buffalo under more than five feet of snow, with a new delivery date of December 9, days after we needed to have them for the kids. 

 

Once we got the shipping update from the book company, our President Michele Vass got to work trying to figure out how we were going to get the 160 books we needed in less than a week. Michele’s husband, Trevor, reminded her about a connection she had made at the American Library Association conference that year with a VP at Penguin Random House and suggested she reach out to him. 

 

Michele immediately emailed the VP she met at PRH and said a prayer. The next morning, to her amazement, Skip Dye, Senior VP of Library Sales and Digital Strategy, replied affirmatively that PRH would supply the needed books, do it for free, and pay to overnight the books from Indiana to California! 

 

The books came in a day before the original book order was set to arrive, and they were a perfect assortment, providing lots of choices for the kids that were to be served this holiday season. The Friends cannot thank Penguin Random House and Skip Dye enough for making sure the kids we serve had the new books we fundraised to provide them. 

 

What happened to the books stuck in Buffalo, you ask? They finally made it to Rocklin and will be used for our next book drive in 11 months. 

From Parks Passes to Garfield: What Rocklin Library Readers Loved in 2024

The end of the year and the start of another is a time of reflection. It's when we ask ourselves questions like, "What was the best?" "What was the most popular?" "What stood out?" I found myself wondering about the Rocklin Library’s collection in 2024, and I made some interesting discoveries.

What was checked out the most in 2024?

The most circulated item in the Rocklin Library (and in fact, all the Placer County libraries) was the California State Parks Pass. The CA Parks Pass provides free day-use entry to over 200 participating state park units. They can be checked out for one week with a possible one-week renewal. And the most circulated book in the Rocklin Library in 2024… Garfield The Big Cheese. That lasagna-loving cat shows up several times on the list, as does Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Dog Man, and Llama Llama books. There’s a solid presence of ReadAlongs circulating well last year—Printed books paired with a ready-to-play audiobook embedded inside the cover. Children can enjoy the experience of a physical book while benefiting from the added learning advantage of listening to the story being read aloud. Studies have shown that hearing more words (phonological and phonemic awareness) helps develop language skills, improves kindergarten readiness, and enhances reading abilities.

What have been the all-time most checked-out books?

At a whopping 371 checkouts, the number one book is a copy of Henry and Mudge in the Green Time by Cynthia Rylant. The book was added to the collection in 1996—twenty-nine years ago! A child who read it back then might now have children of their own enjoying the same book. And readers must really like Cynthia Rylant—four of her books are in the top ten highest-circulating.


There are many favorite authors besides Cynthia on the list, including H.A. Rey (Curious George), Else Minarik (Little Bear), Arnold Lobel (Frog & Toad), and Peggy Parish (Amelia Bedelia), all beginning readers. It isn’t until the 63rd spot that another collection (Juvenile Non-Fiction) appears (Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!) At number 169 is the first non-children’s book—The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.


I’m excited to see what new trends 2025 will bring!


Tony Carmack

Rocklin Librarian

Finding treasures at the Friends of the Library bookstore

During lunch with my book loving friends, the conversation inevitably turns to “what are you reading?” Then we will happily exchange titles. I have filled many little journals with names of books (as well as recommended authors) my friends have loved and encouraged me to read.


Not only are those titles on my mind whenever I work in the FOL bookstore, but I also watch for books that are book club recommendations – Oprah, Reese or even ones read by local book groups.


While it’s our policy to stock newer fiction in the bookstore, we recognize that there are “older” books that deserve some shelf space. Thus, we have made space for book club recommendations and classic novels.


We also recognize the need to make room for science fiction and romance novels.


And we haven’t forgotten the need for information. We offer a large selection of non-fiction books – history, biography/memoirs, health, family/parenting, inspiration, travel and business.


Our younger generation hasn’t been forgotten either. We have an area targeting young readers – ranging from picture books through teen selections.


Throughout January and February, the display wall and table will feature books celebrating healthy lifestyles, including CDs and DVDs for your listening/viewing pleasure.


And if you don’t find something of interest on your next visit to our bookstore (first room on the right as you enter the library), mark your calendars for our surplus sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 8 in the Community Room. Books always need good homes!


All donations are welcome. They can be dropped in the slot on the wall to the right as you enter the building.


Gloria Beverage

Director of Book Sales

Our next Storytime at the Station!

Bring your Kindergarteners through second graders to our next Storytime at the Station on February 10 at 4:00 p.m. We can't wait to see you and your little ones! Questions? Email us at info@pcfol.org.

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The Placer County Friends of the Library generates support for the

Rocklin Library and Placer County Library Services and promotes community

interest in libraries, reading, and lifelong learning.