Who are the Friends of Rochambeau?
A group of caring individuals, families, and businesses dedicated to the support of the Rochambeau Library Branch... its facility, programs, services, resources, and the many people it serves. Learn more about the Friends of Rochambeau
A major revision of the Friends of Rochambeau bylaws was approved by the membership at the Annual Meeting on June 2nd. Minor changes were made to Article X – Amendments before the vote. To read the final version, as approved, click here.
The officers and board of the Friends of Rochambeau Library invite you to join us at our annual meeting.
When: Monday, June 2, 2014 — 7:00pm
Where: Meeting in the Community Room in the basement, 708 Hope Street, Providence
Agenda: We will also be welcoming our new board members, voting on revised by-laws (see prior posting), and reporting on our financial results for the year.
Featured speaker:
Edward Fitzpatrick is the political columnist for The Providence Journal. He previously covered the State House and the court system for the Journal. He grew up in Greenville, RI, and graduated from Syracuse University. He was a city editor at The Saratogian in Saratoga Springs, NY, and a reporter for the Albany Times Union and the Hartford Courant. He now lives in Providence with his wife, Ellen, and their two sons. He is proud to report that he has no books overdue at the Rochambeau Library.
The general membership of the Friends of Rochambeau Library will vote to approve a major revision of the organization’s bylaws at the Annual Meeting on June 2nd. The current version was adopted ten years ago, in 2004, when the library was a branch of the Providence Public Library. The proposed revision recognizes the now 5-year old Providence Community Library within which organization we exist, as well as the scope of the Friends’ purposes within that organization. In addition, several rules of operation were changed to ensure better Board practices and reflect new realities. Be sure to review these proposed bylaws before the meeting.
Come meet the candidates for mayor of Providence at 3 forums at 3 neighborhood libraries – April 16, May 22, and June 12. The mayoral forum at Rochambeau Library is scheduled for Thursday, May 22, at 6pm. For more information, visit PCL’s website at provcomlib.org.
The Friends of Rochambeau Newsletter comes out about three times a year: Fall, Winter and Spring.
Every member family ought to receive a copy in the mail. If you didn’t, it means that either you need to renew your membership, or we’ve got your address wrong. Please contact us at friend@friendsofrochambeau.org.
Meanwhile, read our Spring 2014 Friends of Rochambeau Newsletter here.
Friends of Rochambeau Library
Spring 2014 Book Sale
More than 20,000 donated books, audiovisuals, games and puzzles sorted into more than 50 categories.
- Children’s books and small paperbacks 50 cents
- Hardcover and large paperbacks $1.00
- Specials and rarities priced individually
2014 SPRING SCHEDULE: April 7 – 12
- Mon. 7th 5 pm – 8:00 pm (Specials & Rarities open at 3pm) Dealers night Admission $30 per person, including interested non-dealers
- Tues. 8th 4 pm – 8 pm Friends night (Members only; you can join at the door)
- Wed. 9th 10 am – 5:30 pm Free entrance for ALL
- Thurs. 10th 1 pm – 8 pm Free entrance for ALL
- Fri. 11th 1 pm – 8 pm Extended Fill a Bag for $5, free entrance for ALL
- Sat. 12th 12 noon – 2 pm No book sale. Free pick-up for non-profit groups ONLY
For a listing of specials and rarities available at all times go to: http://friendsofrochambeau.org/current-rarities/
Proceeds of the bi-annual Book Sales support events, programs for children and adults, subscriptions of papers and journals, purchase of media equipment, etc. at the Library.
Want to help us with the book sale? It’s really fun! Email us now or sign up in the folder at the Reference Desk.
Friends of Rochambeau Library
Fall 2013 Book Sale
20,000 donated books, audiovisuals, games and puzzles sorted into more than 50 categories.
- Children’s books and small paperbacks 50 cents
- Hardcover and large paperbacks $1.00
- Specials and rarities priced individually
2013 FALL SCHEDULE: October 21 – 26
- Mon. 21st 5 pm – 8:30 pm Dealers night ($30 admission)
- Tues. 22nd 4 pm – 8 pm Friends night (Members only; you can join at the door)
- Wed. 23rd 10 am – 5:30 pm Free entrance for ALL
- Thurs. 24th 1 – 8:30 pm Free entrance for ALL
- Fri. 25th 12 noon – 5:30 pm Fill a Bag for $5, free entrance for ALL
- Sat. 26th 12 noon – 5:30 pm Fill a Bag for $5, free entrance for ALL
For a listing of specials and rarities available at all times go to: http://friendsofrochambeau.org/current-rarities/
Proceeds of the bi-annual Book Sales support events, programs for children and adults, subscriptions of papers and journals, purchase of media equipment, etc. at the Library.
Want to help us with the book sale? It’s really fun! Email us now or sign up in the folder at the Reference Desk.
Friends of Rochambeau Library Annual Meeting
The officers and board of the Friends of Rochambeau Library invite you to join us at our annual meeting.
When: Monday, June 3, 2013 — 7:00pm
Where: Meeting in the Community Room in the basement, 708 Hope Street, Providence
Agenda: We will also be welcoming our new board members and reporting on our financial results for the year.
Featured speaker: Gordon S. Wood is the Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus at Brown. Wood received the 2010 National Humanities Medal for “scholarship that provides insight into the founding of the nation” at the White House in March 2011. His many books include the Pulitzer Prize-winning The Radicalism of the American Revolution; the Bancroft Prize-winning The Creation of the American Republic, 1776-1778, Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different; and Empire of Liberty: A History of the Early Republic, 1789-1815. His latest book, published in 2011, is The Idea of America: Reflections on the Birth of the United States.
Friends of Rochambeau Library
Spring 2014 Book Sale
More than 20,000 donated books, audiovisuals, games and puzzles sorted into more than 50 categories.
- Children’s books and small paperbacks 50 cents
- Hardcover and large paperbacks $1.00
- Specials and rarities priced individually
2014 SPRING SCHEDULE: April 7 – 12
- Mon. 7th 5 pm – 8:00 pm (Specials & Rarities open at 3pm) Dealers night Admission $30 per person, including interested non-dealers
- Tues. 8th 4 pm – 8 pm Friends night (Members only; you can join at the door)
- Wed. 9th 10 am – 5:30 pm Free entrance for ALL
- Thurs. 10th 1 pm – 8 pm Free entrance for ALL
- Fri. 11th 1 pm – 8 pm Extended Fill a Bag for $5, free entrance for ALL
- Sat. 12th 12 noon – 2 pm No book sale. Free pick-up for non-profit groups ONLY
For a listing of specials and rarities available at all times go to: http://friendsofrochambeau.org/current-rarities/
Proceeds of the bi-annual Book Sales support events, programs for children and adults, subscriptions of papers and journals, purchase of media equipment, etc. at the Library.
Want to help us with the book sale? It’s really fun! Email us now or sign up in the folder at the Reference Desk.
Dear Friends,
By now, many of you know that Tom O’Donnell, manager of the Rochambeau, Fox Point, and Smith Hill libraries, was fired on February 15, 2013. Laura Marlane, executive director of the Providence Community Library (PCL), took this action unilaterally without consulting the Rochambeau Library community. A review committee will evaluate Tom’s case on Monday, March 11 and will, we assume, either affirm or reverse Ms. Marlane’s decision.
In advance of that hearing, we, the Board of the Friends of Rochambeau, offer the following response.
First, Tom deserves a fair and impartial hearing. No PCL board member who is known to have taken sides in this dispute should be part of the review committee. To do so would further sully a process that in our view already lacks transparency.
Second, because of the extremely short notice and the division of labor at the library, our staff members scrambled to cope with short-staffing and to obtain basic information to keep the library’s services running. Though we think that the abruptness with which Tom was fired deserves special scrutiny, we also recommend that PCL policy be adjusted to prevent such disruptions in library function and staff morale in the future.
Third, absent compelling proof of serious misconduct, we believe that Tom should be reinstated. Any lesser infraction should be weighed thoughtfully against Tom’s enormous value to the community. Under his leadership, our programming has expanded (e.g., concerts, lectures, discussion groups, films, children’s programs), our community partnerships have flourished (e.g., Hope Street Merchants Association, Summit Neighborhood Association), and the bonds of friendship among the library’s board, staff, and patrons have grown ever stronger.
All of this is in line with our mission: to support the Rochambeau library – its facility, programs, services, and resources – and, above all, the many people it serves.
Sincerely,
The Board of the Friends of Rochambeau
