The Piqua Public Library is housed in the beautifully restored Fort Piqua Plaza and is one of the most impressive libraries in the State of Ohio. The Library occupies three floors of this magnificent building. The main lobby of the Library offers a beautiful marble tiled floor, plaster carvings, stained glass atrium ceiling, grand staircase, impressive large fireplace and grand piano.
Since its inception on November 6, 2011, The Friends of the Piqua Public Library organization has grown to be known as an active organization that gives our residents the opportunity to hear interesting and entertaining programs of many genres. All of these programs are offered free of charge. Our annual fundraiser held for the past nine years, called the Holiday Cabaret, is held in the Grand Ballroom of the Fort Piqua Plaza and is the only event where an admission is charged. At this fundraiser, we bring local talent together to perform as well as outstanding music by featuring The Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, The Lima Symphony and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra for our guests to enjoy.
We have included an Outreach Program in our agenda that serves and entertains former members of our organization now living in senior living facilities. We have also included in this Outreach Program support for the Bethany Center, Piqua’s local soup kitchen.
Over the past years we have supported the great staff of the Library with needed equipment and supplies that included a popcorn machine, microwave, new vacuum cleaners and a Cricut machine.
We have been strong advocates for the Children’s Department by helping with additional programming and equipment. We purchased special bookcases to house the awarding winning Newbery and Caldecott books. During the pandemic when the Children’s Department could not hold their annual Summer Reading Program our committee mailed a new, age appropriate book, to all the children signed up for the Program the year before. Each Christmas during Mainstreet Piqua’s Christmas on the Green, we give out a beautiful, new Christmas book to every child visiting the Library during this event. Also, due to the estate planning of Jean Wilson Reed, her family generously included The Friends of the Library by suggesting that Jean’s friends and family donate to our organization thus allowing us to supply the Children’s Department with innovative equipment such as back packs with instructional material for the children to take home and enjoy, plus a large supply of outstanding puzzles for every age
For the past four years, we have put together the Kids Discovery Day that brings entertainment just for the children to enjoy. We have also partially funded the establishment of the Teen Room for our young adults.
We have recently partnered with Piqua City Schools and our library to initiate a program called Kindergarten Readiness. This program is geared towards helping children during the summer months in anticipation of their entry into kindergarten by offering weekly pop up events that includes reading and a fun craft.
The Friends committee accepted the challenge to chair the last successful and important tax levy that supports our wonderful Library.
We continually bring events and programs to our Library that will ensure a bright future for this treasure in our community.