The project involved gathering artifacts that reflect what life in Royal Oak is like. These items were buried on Saturday, October 1, 2011, in the Butterfly Garden on the lawn of ROPL in a sealed container to be dug up in 2046 when the City of Royal Oak is celebrating its 125th anniversary as a city. How different will Royal Oak be 35 years from now? And how much will it be the same? The Time Capsule Project has given us an opportunity to assess what a vibrant community we have and ponder its past and its future. When residents of 2046 dig up and open this time capsule they will discover what Royal Oak was like in 2011, which should evoke memories of the past and contribute hopes for the future of this community.

Next month the Library will host a four-part series saluting the enduring appeal of Jane Austen. Speakers will examine her works, her life in Regency England and how her books compare to the many film adaptations of her work. We’re even hosting a “Jane Austen Tea.” To learn more about Austen, check out the Library’s fine collection of the author’s novels and stories; books analyzing her literature; and the many mysteries, romances and even zombie mash-ups she has inspired. Some titles are listed here.

It’s estimated that 93% of all adults over the age of 18 have considered a business of their own. Local author and entrepreneur Dan Nichols is challenging you to take that thought to the next level. If you’ve ever wanted to give your ideas legs, this might be the perfect opportunity to do so with the guidance of the Lemonade Stand Simple Business Planning System. Dan is confident that he can get you from where you are to where you want to be in a business of your very own.

It's here!!! An opportunity to show your art and be part of Royal Oak history.

What: The Art Contest is an adjunct to the Royal Oak Time Capsule Project which celebrates the lives and times of Royal Oak in 2011. The time capsule will let people in 35 years know what we were all about. Photographs of winning art entries will be placed in the time capsule. All art contest participants will have their names included in the time capsule.

Who: Any person who is a resident of Royal Oak; works, goes to school, or community college in Royal Oak; is a member of a church, service organization, or club that meets in the City of Royal Oak is eligible to enter this contest.

Readers interested in books with a pure Michigan connection can sample the Library’s collection of 2011 Michigan Notable Books, including Reimagining Detroit: Opportunities for Redefining an American City. Author John Gallagher will talk about his book on Wednesday, May 4 at 7:00 PM in the Library’s Friends Auditorium.

In remembrance of the 150th anniversary of the outbreak of the Civil War and to coincide with our April Civil War programs, we have created a Civil War exhibit featuring items from a special collection donated to ROPL in May of 1966 by Ralzemond Drake Parker. Mr. Parker was the son of Royal Oak pioneers, Ralzemond A. and Sarah Drake Parker.

If you want to educate yourself about making smart, safe investment choices, take advantage of a series of free workshops offered by experts from the state of Michigan’s Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation. The department offers unbiased, non-commercial information as part of its Investor Education Program.

Libraries for many years have crossed local boundaries and shared resources through cooperative lending agreements with other libraries. Royal Oak Public Library is part of a library cooperative, The Library Network (TLN), which includes 65 libraries in four counties of southeastern Michigan. When you place a hold for a book from our eLibrary shared catalog, the book may arrive here from Oakland, Wayne, Livingston, or Washtenaw County, delivered by the TLN trucks that make daily delivery runs. If you cannot find a book within TLN, the MelCat system allows you to request interloans from libraries all over Michigan. When you visit other libraries in TLN, your ROPL card is honored by those libraries. By sharing our resources, we can connect our card holders to more materials than one single library can afford to purchase and house.

The Royal Oak Public Library's services continue to be highly valued by the community in these trying economic times. The Library is open six days a week, 60 hours a week, providing a variety of services to more than 30,000 ROPL library cardholders who check out more than 400,000 items a year. The Library hosted more than 550 programs attended by 16,000 people. Library usage has increased significantly over the past several years and continues to grow.

Do you need a copy of your birth certificate? Are you applying for a marriage license? Or maybe you need to get property, mortgages, deed or lien records? Don’t have time to go to the county offices in Pontiac? Avoid the drive time and standing-in-line time by ordering these records online. The Oakland County Clerk & Register of Deed’s Office has made it much easier to order these and other documents online and to have them delivered to your home.

The Library CARD (Convenience & Access to Records and Documents) Program is a joint effort with more than 25 Oakland County libraries, including Royal Oak Public Library, to assist their patrons in accessing many public records overseen by the County Clerk’s office. If you need more information about this program, stop by the adult reference desk to pick up a brochure, or ask the reference librarian for assistance.