Newsletters and Press Releases

May 27, 2026

Music is powerful. It can evoke joy and express sorrow. It can tell a story without words. It can connect communities. Bloomfield Township Public Library will harness the power of music this June when it hosts three Artistic Encounters as part of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, an annual classical music event that takes place over two weeks at locations across Metro Detroit.

A unique opportunity for area adults and seniors, Artistic Encounters are public coaching sessions for Catherine Filene Shouse Chamber Music Institute fellows in a setting similar to a masterclass. Designed for emerging ensembles committed to a professional career in chamber music, each Artistic Encounter offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be a professional musician. Three Artistic Encounters will be hosted by the Library as part of the larger Festival. Each library-hosted event will be presented from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

The first in the series will take place on Monday, June 15, and will feature coaching by violinist Philip Setzer. A founding member of the nine-time GRAMMY Award–winning Emerson String Quartet, Setzer is an internationally acclaimed chamber musician and educator who performs worldwide. He is also the Director of the Shouse Institute at the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival.

The second Artistic Encounter will be on Wednesday, June 17, and will feature coaching by violinist Jennifer Frautschi. A two-time GRAMMY nominee and Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient, Frautschi has appeared with leading orchestras including the Chicago Symphony and Los Angeles Philharmonic.

The library-hosted series will conclude on Monday, June 22, with an Artistic Encounter featuring coaching by violinist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt. A top prizewinner of the Banff, Fischoff, and Lionel Tertis competitions, and a founding member of the twice GRAMMY-nominated Dover Quartet, Pajaro-van de Stadt is a leading artist of her generation who performs internationally as a soloist and chamber musician.

“Through its universal, ageless language, music can bridge generational and cultural gaps,” said Katherine Dupuis, Assistant Library Director. “Bloomfield Township Public Library is proud to provide enriching opportunities such as the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival that bring people in our community together and open the doors of discovery.”

Registration for the free concerts is required and can be made online via the Great Lakes Chamber Music website. Contact the Library at least 24 hours before the event to make arrangements for any needed accessibility accommodations.

May 20, 2026

In recognition of the nation’s 250^th anniversary this year, the Friends of the Bloomfield Township Public Library’s Second Saturday Book Sale will feature materials celebrating the country’s history, art and architecture, and biographies. The sale will also include a mini feature that highlights community and organization cookbooks.

The walk-in event will be hosted on the lower level of the Bloomfield Township Public Library on Saturday, June 13, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Members of the Friends group may shop the sale early from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. For those who are not yet members, memberships can be purchased at the door on the day of the sale.

With thousands of books and audiovisual materials for all ages and interests conveniently sorted into more than 50 categories, as well as a room dedicated to music and film, the monthly sale offers something for everyone. Debit cards may be used for purchases in any amount. Credit cards may be used with a $5 minimum purchase. 

The Library Shop, located just inside the Library, is open during regular Library hours and offers an additional selection of gently used books, movies, and music as well as cards and gifts. The Friends continue to accept donations of books and media in good condition. Visit the Friends of the Library webpage for more information.

Since 1995, proceeds from the Second Saturday Sales have allowed the Friends to donate over $1.85 million to support the Library beyond its operating budget, with over $105,000 donated last year alone. Donations from sale proceeds have paid for artwork and sculptures around the Library, the beautiful gardens, programs and events for adults and children, and additions to Library collections.

March 18, 2026

Bloomfield Township Public Library is pleased to introduce a new digital archive, part of its reimagined History Collection.

The History Collection includes digitized copies of The Afterglow, a monthly lifestyle magazine published from 1925 to 1927 that included news of society notables, club activities, and views of new estate homes in Bloomfield Township. It also includes digitized copies of the Bloomfield-Birmingham Eccentric Newspaper from 1882 to 1964, oral histories originally recorded in the 1970s, a trove of research on notable local homes from historian John Marshall, and more.

“With the launch of this modern, searchable archive, curious residents, local history buffs, and researchers can access pieces of Bloomfield Township’s history from anywhere,” said Laura J. Kraly, Adult and Teen Services Department Head. “The digital archive gives us the potential to deepen our knowledge of the places and people of our community along with a place to share future acquisitions,” she added.

The Library is actively collecting items such as yearbooks, city directories, photographs, printed ephemera (menus, advertisements, postcards), and unique local publications like newsletters. If you have an item that you’d like to donate to the History Collection, please call the Library and ask to speak with a staff member in the Adult and Teen Services Department.

Learn how to access the digital archive and the rest of the History Collection at two sessions of History Comes Alive on Thursday, April 16 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. The same information will be covered in both sessions. Register for this program at btpl.org/events.

Discover the Township’s rich history through the digital archive, genealogical resources, and local history holdings at https://btpl.org/adult/history-collection/.