Library’s Memory Cafe gets $10,000 grant from CultureSource

Jennifer Richardson, who is on the staff of the Belleville Area District Library, successfully applied for and received a $10,000 grant from CultureSouce for the library’s Memory Café. This was announced by library director Mary Jo Suchy at the regular meeting of the library board on Nov. 18.
CultureSource leads the Southeast Michigan Exhale Memory Café Collective, which is a program that supports older adults living with memory loss and their caregiveers through arts and culture. The funding she obtained will be used for extra training and will pay for perforners and supplies, director Suchy said.
CultureSource used to be called Cultural Alliance of Southeastern Michigan.
Richardson recently did a workshop on how to start a memory café at the Michigan Library Association’s fall conference at the end of October.
Director Suchy said the library’s memory program has been greatly successful and is partially funded by the Friends of the Library. Artist Kathryn Wood assists with a communal art piece that the group works on during each café and then the artwork is displayed.
In other business at the 48-minute meeting on Nov. 18, the board:
• Heard Suchy announce the library has hired Kone Elevator Company to perform its CAT5 elevator testing on Nov. 25. It tried to get Otis Elevator, which installed the elevator and does maintenance, but it couldn’t get Otis to come out. Otis has a maintenance contract through June 2026 and the library may change after that, she said. Suchy also said the library is changing security system vendors at the media center in Sumpter Township, due to a request from Sumpter so that all of their buildings are under the same system. Also, the lighting control vendor was onsite recently to troubleshoot and repair the system that controls the timers to the exterior building lighting. While they were onsite they adjusted the timer for the lights in the second-floor quiet study room;
• Was informed by Suchy that there is a United Health Care conflict with Corewell Health and if it is not solved Corewell will drop off honoring some insurance coverage. The insurance of several employees is involved. Suchy said they are looking into it to make sure it all goes well, but everything is good until Jan. 1;
• Learned the library successfully switched accounting software systems the last week of October. The trainer for BS&A was very informative and helpful and the library’s accounts payable assistant is very happy with the new system. The library board members commented on how much they liked the new finance reports with much more information;
• Was advised following all the trick or treating sugar that was given to youth and teens on Halloween, youth and teen services department head Tara McCann purchased healthy after-school snacks to have on hand in the teen room. The library went through almost two bags of apples on the first day. The Friends of the Library have volunteered to give $300 a month to the library for healthy snacks;
• Heard the library will have hot chocolate and cookies on hand at 4:30 p.m. in the Cozaad Room on Winter Fest Saturday, Dec. 6. The 1979 feature film “Jack Frost” will be playing in the background. Santa will be in the lobby after the evening parade to visit with children and pass out stockings filled with goodies;
• Were advised the Friends of the Library honey from the bees on the library roof is on sale for $10 a jar at the library desk;
• Heard board members discuss how great the free public sessions at the library are and how you just have to show up. They agreed board members should bring people to the library who haven’t been there before to show them what is available; and
• Heard board chairman Sharon Peters add her comments to board comments on AI and reading. “There are all different possibilities of reading,” She said. “Helping children learn in any way they can. More and more we learn about the diverse human condition.” She also noted that the tortoise that lives in the children’s room is now living in a different area.
The library board met with a bare quorum and was able to start its meeting, regularly scheduled for 7:30 p.m., to begin at 7:51 p.m. when the fourth board member arrived. Present were Sharon Peters, Linda Priest, Dan Fleming, and Joy Cichewicz. Absent and excused were Alma Hughes-Grubbs, Maria Jackson-Smith, and Tanya Stoudemire.