Your donations to FFRPL increase the Library’s community impact.
Special Library initiatives and projects (through the Harold Hacker Fund for the Advancement of Libraries)
- Further education for librarians and library staff with training provided by Rochester Regional Library Council
- Foster innovative library projects and programs at member libraries of the Rochester Regional Library Council, Monroe County Library System and Pioneer Library System
Examples from 2023
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- The Monroe County Library System purchased 3 new laptops for the MCLS Mobile Learning Lab, which supports literacy education programs at 31 member libraries. The updated lab has been used by a city branch for several Adult Literacy sessions, and one town library’s children’s room, when water damaged their own collection of computers.
- Titles in Mendon Library’s Diverse Voices Book Discussion Kits address topics such as anti-racism, LGBTQIA+ issues, immigration and poverty.Each kit has 7 copies of the featured book and a large print edition.The kits have been used by the library’s book club and distributed through Mendon’s hold system
- Central Library held responsible vendor training, presented by the Cannabis Workforce Initiative, a partnership between Cornell and the Workforce Development Institute. The 5 classes covered careers in cannabis, legal issues, security, and consumer safety.More than 80 people came from across New York State to attend.
Literacy
- Promote literacy and building self-esteem by providing free books to elementary school-age children in the City of Rochester
- Support the ‘Raising a Reader’ program
Legacy programs
Collections
- Books & materials, e-books, DVD’s
Unique Resources for Loan “Beyond Books”
- Framed artwork, ukuleles and sewing machines at Central Library
- Thousands of toys at the Lincoln Branch’s Toy Library
- Empire Passes for FREE entry at NY State Parks
- A portable document reader that can magnify materials up to 131x
- Pre-loaded GoChip Beam movies with wifi hotspots (with support from the Reynolds Library Board)
Creation of Special Spaces
- imagineYOU Digital Media Learning Lab for teens
- Renovation of Central Library’s newly named Kusler-Cox Auditorium (2018)
- Health Central – volunteer medical professionals screen blood pressure, body mass index and glucose levels for patrons at no charge
Community Collaborations
- NEA Big Read (April 2023)
- Terrace Revitalization Project (2019-2022), in partnership with the City, County, key community stakeholders, Board and Art committee members, donors and patrons: renovation of infrastructure, large-scale public art, community gathering spaces and site-specific historical information
- Safe to be Smart youth program at Central Library and five city branches (since 2000)
- Partnership with Writers & Books in support of Rochester Reads
- Sponsorship of Greater Rochester Teen Read authors Leslie C. Youngblood (2022), Ruta Sepetys (2021 – virtual program), G. Neri (2019), Laurie Halse Anderson (2018) and others (FFRPL has served as the Fiscal Sponsor since 2010).
Promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and access to resources and technologies
Special Events
- RPL online Author series (launched July 2022)
- Publishers’ Circle Library Celebration Dinner
- Virtual Library Celebration (Nov. 2020)
- Palaces for the People author Eric Klinenberg (Nov. 2019)
- Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston (Nov. 2018)
- Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Amy Goldstein (Nov. 2017)
- Award-winning adventurer Jennifer Pharr Davis (April 2018)
- Libraries After Dark: May the 4th Be With You (May 2018)
- Libraries After Dark: Fringe Carnival @ Central Library (Sept. 2018)
- Young Adult fiction superstar Rick Riordan (Oct. 2017)
Free Computer Access
- Support for health and business database subscriptions at Central Library
- Computer classes at Central Library in English and Spanish
Exhibits
