Our purpose as Friends of Ruch Library is to encourage, promote, and support our library.  We help by doing fundraising for additional hours (FORL raises the money each year to keep the library open on Saturdays!) and services, and by contributing ideas and energy. FORL is an official tax-exempt organization, so that donation of money or goods is tax-deductible for the donor. We welcome as members everyone who would like to help our library flourish. Dues are only $6 each year; here’s a form to print and mail in with your check. There are many different volunteer opportunities for members too.

FORL began nearly 20 years ago, and was active with planning and fundraising for the construction of the new Ruch Library building which opened in 2003. Community contributions of over $120,000 helped build the Community Meeting Room, a study area, and reading areas.

FORL helped double library hours

In April 2007, the country’s 15 libraries closed for six months due to loss of federal funds given to Western counties, for many years, to replace lost tax revenues from the huge federal land holdings. FORL was active in urging the County Commissioners to re-open the libraries, then in raising funds to increase hours of operation after the system re-opened under Library Systems and Services (LSSI), a private contractor.

The Ruch branch re-opened in November 2007 for only 8 hours per week; by January, FORL fundraising (aided by a generous anonymous donor) succeeded in doubling that to 16 hours per week for all of 2008, including adding Saturday hours. Special events for this large effort included two art shows/sales, concerts, and a locally hosted dinner. FORL volunteers conducted a direct phone calling campaign to meet a matching grant from local families. Encouraged by this strong community support, FORL is determined to continue the increased hours.

Fundraising is now under way to continue to keep Ruch Library open 3 days a week, instead of just two. We need everyone’s help to accomplish this.There’s a new option this year, to make a monthly pledge using your credit or debit card. Only $5 a month will pay for one of our extra 208 hours for the year. There’s a print-and-mail form for pledges/contributions here, and more information about the fundraising, pledges, and contributions, here. 

Ruch Library is a center of our community

Our library is especially valuable to this rural community. It supplements the small library at Ruch School, which is just next door. Many groups in our area use the Community Room for meetings, classes, and other events, even during hours when the library is closed. Computers and high-speed Internet access are available at no charge, and provide a vital link for many who have no computer at home, or have slow or no Internet hookup. The library offers many resources other than books, including CDs and DVDs, a photocopy machine, newspapers and magazines, maps, comfortable reading areas, and––perhaps most important––friendly and skilled staff to help with locating and using what’s needed.

And that’s not even mentioning the books! Reference, popular fiction, paperbacks, a large children’s area and a young adult section, non-fiction including arts and crafts, livestock raising, history, health, how-to...you name it!

You can search the entire Jackson County LIbrary System library catalog on the computer (includes Rogue Community College holdings) and you can have books sent to Ruch for you to pick up. You can also use a computer, at home or at the library, to check your account, renew books, and do research with the library’s online databases.

Check our Library Resources page for descriptions and links to these and other resources.

Join us in supporting our library, a true community center, through membership, donations, or volunteering!