Public Library

Contact the librarian, Larry Wuokko at lwuokko@r-mschool.org with questions or comments.

Welcome to the Republic-Michigamme Public Library

 227 Maple Street, Republic, MI 49879 

All residents of the school district, including families that homeschool, may register to use the public library. 

Location: The Library is inside the school building at 227 Maple Street in South Republic. Parking is available in the front of the school. The library entrance is around the left corner of the building as you face the front of the school. 

Hours: The summer schedule begins on June 10, 2025: Tuesday – 9 a.m. to Noon 

Wednesday – 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

Thursday – 9 a.m. to Noon 

Hours may vary during holiday weeks and changes are posted in advance at the library. A 24-hour book return slot is available at the library entrance. 

What’s New: 

Book Club: Please join us on Monday, July 7, 10:00 a.m., at the library. “Icy Sparks” by Gwyn Hyman Rubio, will be discussed. (At the age of ten, an Appalachian girl develops croaks, jerks and spasms, which leads to her expulsion from school. After treatment (she has Tourette's syndrome) she learns to control herself, attends college and there is a happy ending.) Please call the librarian if you would like this book ordered for you. “Alaska Nellie”, a true story by Nellie Neal Lawing, will be the August selection. (Nellie Neal Lawing, 1874-1956, known as Alaska Nellie, was an Alaskan frontierswoman, roadhouse operator, and hunter. She worked as a camp cook and won a government contract to open a roadhouse along the Alaska Railroad. While at the roadhouse, she gained a reputation as a hunter and dog sled musher and became a local hero after saving a mail carrier in a blizzard.)

Everyone is welcome to join this reading group, so why not stop in? Please contact the library for more information. 

New Adult Fiction: 

“The Emperor of Gladness” by Ocean Vuong 

“Never Flinch” by Stephen King 

“The Ascent” by Allison Buccola 

“The Missing Half” by Ashley Flowers 

“The Amalfi Curse” by Sarah Penner 

“Tilt” by Emma Pattee 

“My Name is Emilia del Valle” by Isabel Allende 

“My Friends” by Fredrik Backman 

“The Names” by Florence Knapp 

“The Perfect Marriage” by Jeneva Rose 

“The Perfect Divorce” by Jeneva Rose 

“Strangers in Time: A World War II Novel” by David Baldacci “The Paris Express” by Emma Donoghue 

New Adult Nonfiction: 

“Diet, Drugs, and Dopamine: The New Science of Achieving a Healthy Weight” by David Kessler, M.D. 

“The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ticonderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780 (Vol. 2 of The American Trilogy) 

“Sister; Sinner; The Miraculous Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Aimee Semple McPherson” by Claire Hoffman 

“Children of Radium: A Buried Inheritance” by Joe Dunthorne “The Ride: Paul Revere and the Night That Saved America” by Kostya Kennedy 

New Young Adult Fiction: 

“The Dare” by Natasha Preston 

“The Party” by Natasha Preston 

“If Only I Had Told Her” by Laura Nowlin 

“If He Had Been With Me” by Laura Nowlin 

“The Glass Girl” by Kathleen Glasgow

Shop for Books at Your Library: The library has lots of gently used fiction and nonfiction books available for you to take home for a nominal donation ($1 or less). Some are free. Check out our selection and please take some for your house or camp. 

Services Available: 

★ Over 15,000 books for adults, young adults, and children – fiction and nonfiction. 

★ Public computers with internet access, or connect your device to our wi-fi. Black/white printing available for a fee. 

★ Monthly book club discussion group for adults of all ages. ★ Large print book collection. 

★ Selection of DVDs and audio books on CD. 

★ Magazines for you to enjoy: Consumer Reports, Family Handyman, Michigan History, National Geographic, National Geographic History, National Geographic Kids, People, & The Week. The Mining Journal, Marquette’s daily newspaper. 

★ Michigan Collection: books about the Upper Peninsula and Lower Michigan. 

MeL.org: 

MeL.org is the Library of Michigan’s comprehensive electronic library of resources, available for all Michigan residents. You will find educational resources for parents and educators, as well as e-books, magazine articles, encyclopedias, and videos. There are wonderful resources for every interest: sports and recreation, life skills, science and technology, arts and music, literature and language arts, health, and history. Please visit this online resource at MeL.org 

Registering for Library Services: 

★ Visit the library and complete a registration form.

★ Provide proof of residency such as a driver’s license. 

Donated Items: The public library gratefully accepts donations of books, audio books, and DVDs. All donated items must be clean and in good condition. Donated books must be free of mildew, water damage, and written notes or highlighting. Donated nonfiction books must have been published less than two years ago (please no textbooks.) If you wish to donate a magazine subscription to the library, please see the librarian for ideas. 

Contact Us: 

★ Phone (906) 376-2277, the School’s number. Please follow the prompts to reach the public library. 

★ Email: library@r-mschool.org 

About the Library: The State of Michigan has eight options for public library governance. The Republic-Michigamme Public Library is a “school district public library”, meaning it’s area of service is the geographical boundary of the school district. This public library is governed by the school’s Board of Education and serves residents within the school district. The Republic-Michigamme School District includes all of Republic Township, most of Michigamme Township, and a portion of Humboldt Township. 

A “school public library” differs from a “school library”: a school public library focuses on serving the public; a school library is not open to the public and serves the students and teaching staff as part of the educational curriculum. School librarians have advanced degrees in library sciences and work closely with the teaching staff to support reading programs; advanced formal training is not required of librarians in small public

libraries. Because this public library is housed inside the school building it is open to the public only when school is not in session. 

For decades, the school board funded both a school library and a part-time public library. The Board decided to eliminate the school library when the school librarian retired in 2002. Although some Michigan legislators have initiated efforts to require public schools to operate school libraries, these efforts have not been successful. 

Our public library is prohibited by law from seeking tax millage approvals for funding. Therefore it is dependent on allocations from the school board and voluntary financial support from other groups and patrons. The R-M Public Library greatly appreciates Republic Township’s support, making the public library a valued community asset. 

In addition to the school’s Board of Education, a library advisory board consisting of volunteers provides additional community input into the library’s operations. 

This page was updated June 5, 2025.