Why Join The Friends

Membership in the Friends is open to any person or organization interested in the purposes the Friends have established. Through payment of membership dues, you help the Friends achieve many of our goals. Beyond that though, what’s in it for you?

Friends members are eligible to attend the Friends Preview night of all Used Book Sales, having the opportunity to get first choice at the prime books.
Friends members receive a 10% discount on all purchases at the Friends Library Store.
Friends members receive the twice yearly newsletter filled with news about the activities of the organization and offering a coupon for additional savings at the Friends Library Store.
Friends members help make possible the FREE programs that make the RHPL such a tremendous asset to our community.

What's Involved in Being a Friend?

You don’t have to do anything once you’ve paid your dues. You can sit back and enjoy the benefits. But if you’d like to feel that you’re contributing more to your library and your community, there are a number of ways in which you can do that.

Everything the Friends does is done by volunteers. The Friends Used Book Sales are run and coordinated by a hard-working, dedicated and fun-loving group of people who have made our Used Book Sales the envy of libraries far and wide. You can help, and we’d love to have you join us.

The Friends Library Store is managed and staffed entirely by volunteers who know the importance of unique, high-quality items and personal, friendly customer service. You can help, and we’d love to have you join us.

What about the annual Friends Holiday Home Tour (formerly the Holly Walk)? 100% volunteer organized and run for 15 years by people who take time out of their busy pre-holiday schedules to bring the community one of its most memorable yearly events. You can help, and we’d love to have you join us.

You can help. We are always looking for people who want to get involved in the good work we are doing. When you fill out your Friends Membership Application Form, which is available online, in the store and in the Library, just indicate what you might like to do. Or call the Friends Membership line, 248-650-7160, and leave a message indicating in what areas you’re most interested. Friends Volunteer Opportunities are available in many areas of interest. You can also stop by the Friends Store and fill out an application to work there, or call the Used Book Sale line, 248-650-7178, for information on how you can help with the sales.

Friends Membership Annual Dues

*Please make all checks payable to Friends of RHPL.
*Dues may be tax deductible
*Senior rates for ages 62 & over

Buy a Membership

Please consider donating a financial gift to the Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library. All money donated to the Friends goes to support Library programs as well as providing funds for projects, activities, and acquisitions in excess of those provided by the general library budget. Examples of items the library has been able to purchase with Friends donated funds include: the aquarium in the lobby, the bookmobile, the second floor computers for use by the public, and the completion of the new second floor used book room, plus many more items. Also, when you look in the library's "News and Views" you will notice the Friends logo attached to many adult and children's programs that are underwritten by the Friends.

Donating to the Friends helps to keep the Rochester Hills Public Library vibrant and up to date.

Friends Board of Directors

"The Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law."

Material donations are managed by the Friends of Rochester Hills Public Library.

Per our donation policy, RHPL makes the final decision on acceptance, use, or disposition of all materials, donations, or gifts and retains unconditional ownership of same. The staff will consider donated materials for possible addition to the library’s collection using the same selection criteria as purchased materials. Materials not added to the collection or gifts may be given to the Friends of the Library for their used book sale. Proceeds from Friends’ book sales go to support the library.

All materials must be in reasonably good condition.

We cannot accept books that are dirty, moldy, musty, or smelly.

Donations we can accept:

Hardcover and paperback books
Textbooks that are fewer than 10 years old
CDs, DVDs, Bluray
Books on CD
Software and Books Encyclopedia sets in very good condition and less than 25 years old
Records and Vinyl

Donations we cannot accept:

VHS
Cassettes
Magazines
National Geographic Magazines
Readers Digest
Condensed Books
Textbooks over 10 years old

All meetings are held on the 4th Tuesday of the month in the Board Room, located in the Library's Administration Area and begin at 7 P.M.
The public is welcome to attend.

• Fall 2023 Newsletter (pdf)
• Spring 2023 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2022 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2021 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2020 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2019 Newsletter (pdf)
• Spring 2019 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2018 Newsletter (pdf)
• Spring 2018 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2017 Newsletter (pdf)
• Spring 2017 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2016 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2015 Newsletter (pdf)
• Fall 2014 Newsletter (pdf)
• Spring 2014 Newsletter (pdf)
• Spring 2014 Newsletter Insert (pdf)

The Friends of the Rochester Hills Public Library is an all volunteer organization. Its heart beat is the hundreds of volunteers and thousands of hours each year to plan, organize, conduct, and communicate a wide variety of activities and fund raising events to support the library.

The list below is most of the opportunities. In every case, training is provided. Your service can be a few hours per year or several hours weekly. Volunteers develop new friends, learn more about the library and have a great sense of accomplishment.

• Friends Library Store: Stop in to get an application. Job includes sales, assisting customers, housekeeping, opening and closing tasks.
• Book Nook: Volunteer one day a week as scheduled to re-stock book carts, collect cash and record earnings, or serve as a substitute when needed.
• Online Book Sales: Research books and other media to determine if the value is high enough to be sold online, list items on online websites, prepare items for shipping to customers.
• Used Book Sales: Volunteer for a shift on one of the sale days as cashier, bagger, or book arranger. Big sales happen four times a year and smaller sales at other times.
• Wine Wit & Wisdom: Annual event in the spring that includes speakers, a buffet dinner with wine and beer and dessert, and a silent auction and 50/50 raffle. Help with set up and teardown the night of the event, solicit businesses for silent auction items, etc.
• Mailing: Label and sort mail to go out to all members. Two to three times a year.
• Holiday Home Tour: Annual event second Sunday in December that features homes decorated for the holidays. Help with obtaining homes for the tour, arrange for sponsors, publicity, ticket sales, docent captain at a house, or be a docent yourself.

If you're interested in volunteering for Friends of RHPL, please fill out either a paper application or online form. Your information will be passed on to the various chairpersons, and they will be in touch with you when positions are available.

Print out an application Apply Online

Please click on the businesses' name to bring you to our online poster (will open in PDF form). By clicking the year associated with the business, you will be redirected to their main website.