[Michlib-l] Help!

Mon Jun 13 15:55:19 EDT 2016

My experience with the Star Wars 501st is similar.  If I try to get them to come on Star Wars Reads Day more than likely no one will be available, there are just too many events on that day.  I also avoid holidays, other times it is more likely they will come to a library event.  These characters are all volunteers and they do not charge nonprofit organizations for the visit.    We are grateful if we get even one or two to come.

I am including pictures taken at our first Star Wars event a few years ago for those librarians who might not know just how professional these people look.

Brenda Dunseth
Youth Services Department Head
Highland Township Public Library

----- Original Message -----
From: "Holly Kirsten" <hollykirsten at chelibrary.org>
To: "Krista Ghazar" <kghazar at madison-hgts.lib.mi.us>
Cc: michlib-l at mcls.org
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2016 2:30:05 PM
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Help!

My experience with the 501st is also like Krista's. The last time we did a Star Wars Reads Day, they weren't interested. I would only ever consider the 501st to be a nice add on if they show up. I would always make sure to have lots of activities planned and not count on them. 

Holly Kirsten 
Head of Youth Services 
Chesterfield Township Library 
50560 Patricia Ave. 
Chesterfield, MI 48051 
586-598-4900 ext. 235 

Raising a reader is: Talking * Singing * Reading * Writing * Playing 

On Mon, Jun 13, 2016 at 2:23 PM, Krista Ghazar < kghazar at madison-hgts.lib.mi.us > wrote: 

Hi Pam, 

I was planning a May the Fourth showing of the Force Awakens and contacted the 501st Legion's Great Lakes Garrison and The Rebel Legion's Great Lakes Base. There is a form on their website that you can submit to ask for an appearance. I made the request 2 months out and about two weeks prior to the event they still didn't have any volunteers willing to come. I ended up canceling the event. That being said, the guys who responded to my requests were both friendly and helpful. They do stress though that, because the characters are volunteers, they can't promise anyone coming. They recommended we not use their presence in advertising because of this fact. Without being able to advertise that they would be there, we couldn't really expect enough of a turn out to justify having them come. But if you already anticipate a good turn out, then requesting an appearance and hoping someone shows up as a surprise may work for you. 

I hope this helps! 

The forms are here: 
http://www.501st.com/request.php 
http://www.rebellegion.com/rebel-legion-event-request/ 

Krista Ghazar 
Adult Reference Librarian 
Madison Heights Public Library 
240 W. 13 Mile Rd. 
Madison Heights, Mi 48071 
248-837-2850 

3. Help! (Pam Withrow) 
5. Re: Help! (Kerry Fitzgerald) 

Message: 3 
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2016 09:24:19 -0400 
From: Pam Withrow < pwithrow at uproc.lib.mi.us > 
To: < michlib-l at mcls.org > 
Subject: [Michlib-l] Help! 
Message-ID: <003101d1c576$e52d5060$af87f120$@ uproc.lib.mi.us > 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" 

Our Star Wars characters just cancelled for our Summer Reading kickoff party 
on Wednesday (June 15th, 5:30-6:30 pm). Does anyone have a connection with 
someone in the 501st Legion? Our event has been advertised throughout the 
community and on tv and radio. Our kids have been looking forward to this 
for weeks. Any help will be appreciated. 

Thank you, 

Pamela Withrow, Director 

Forsyth Township Public Library 

180 W. Flint St. 

PO Box 1328 

Gwinn, MI 49841 

906-346-3433 

Message: 5 
Date: Mon, 13 Jun 2016 10:10:17 -0400 
From: Kerry Fitzgerald < kfitzgerald at loutitlibrary.org > 
To: Pam Withrow < pwithrow at uproc.lib.mi.us > 
Cc: michlib-l at mcls.org 
Subject: Re: [Michlib-l] Help! 
Message-ID: 
<CAJRAa= iqC56QSA-RnpvVYZBgBza2ZJ5bXL0ZwpkSLjmW3mLJjQ at mail.gmail.com > 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" 

Pam, 

Being a big Star Wars fan myself, my heart goes out to you. I just wish you 
weren't in the UP! I cosplay Kylo Ren and have connections with a couple 
folks from the 501st in the Grand Rapids area. With such short notice and a 
huge travel distance, I don't think any of us can help you, but I just 
wanted to offer my assistance to libraries in southwest Michigan looking 
for a Star Wars character for their programs. Our Youth Department had a 
Jedi Academy in April and I crashed it as Kylo Ren. I was fighting off up 
to 6 kids armed with pool-noodle lightsabers at a time. It was a blast! 

Best of luck to everyone with Summer Reading this year and May the Force be 
with you! 

On Mon, Jun 13, 2016 at 9:24 AM, Pam Withrow < pwithrow at uproc.lib.mi.us > 
wrote: 

> Our Star Wars characters just cancelled for our Summer Reading kickoff 
> party on Wednesday (June 15th, 5:30-6:30 pm). Does anyone have a 
> connection with someone in the 501st Legion? Our event has been 
> advertised throughout the community and on tv and radio. Our kids have 
> been looking forward to this for weeks. Any help will be appreciated. 
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you, 
> 
> 
> 
> Pamela Withrow, Director 
> 
> Forsyth Township Public Library 
> 
> 180 W. Flint St. 
> 
> PO Box 1328 
> 
> Gwinn, MI 49841 
> 
> 906-346-3433 
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Michlib-l mailing list 
> Michlib-l at mcls.org 
> http://mail2.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l 
> 
> 

-- 
Kerry FitzGerald, Assistant Director 
Loutit District Library 
407 Columbus Ave 
Grand Haven MI 49417 
616.842.5560 x233 
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