Southfield Public Library
| Southfield Public Library | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Country | United States |
| Established | 1844 |
| Location | 26300 Evergreen Road Southfield, Michigan |
| Coordinates | 42°28′58″N 83°14′24″W / 42.4827°N 83.2401°WCoordinates: 42°28′58″N 83°14′24″W / 42.4827°N 83.2401°W |
| Collection | |
| Size | 250,000 volumes |
| Access and use | |
| Population served | 82,000 |
| Other information | |
| Director | David L. Ewick |
| Website | www.southfieldlibrary.org |
The Southfield Public Library is located at 26300 Evergreen Road in the city of Southfield, Michigan. The library serves the communities of Southfield and Lathrup Village, Michigan, an enclave totally surrounded by Southfield. The Library's vision is "We help people succeed."
Contents
Services & Collections[edit source | edit]
Roles:
- Making Information Accessible: The Southfield Public Library acts as a guide to make timely, accurate and useful information accessible in a variety of formats.
- Supporting Lifelong Learning and Literacy: The Southfield Public Library provides materials to meet the ongoing needs of the community for lifelong learning.
- Complementing Formal Education: The Southfield Public Library assists students of all ages in locating information for class assignments.
- Offering Popular Materials: The Southfield Public Library provides current titles in high demand to satisfy local recreational interests. Materials are offered in a variety of formats and languages.
- Promoting Community Connections: The Southfield Public Library serves as a hub of community living and culture.
- Providing Access to Technology:
Southfield Public Library provides a book collection of over 250,000 volumes and subscribes to numerous print magazines and newspapers. Large print titles as well as video magnifiers and computer enhancements are available for individuals with limited vision. Adult learners will find a collection of easy to read literacy primers and ESL (English as a Second Language) workbooks. Foreign language books, magazines and newspapers are available in various languages. Librarian are on all three floors and are ready to help you locate a book, answer a question, get you started on your research or job hunt.
A Small Business StartUp Center provides resources for small businesses and non-profits.
The Southfield Public Library also offers a collection of audio books, DVDs, videocassettes, music CDs, electronic books and downloadable audio books for users.
The children's area is a place of discovery - not only in the books, music and movies but throughout the area. Our new early literacy stations have great games to help your children learn. Read a book inside the Readers' Treehouse and watch out for the fireflies. Walk down the red carpet inside the Storybook Castle and say hello to Slumber, the library's dragon. Stand next to the Cat in the Hat and admire many pieces of Dr. Seuss's artwork.
The Library offers over 190 public computers in addition to wireless access throughout the building. Public computers offer free access to the Library catalog, research sources and the Internet. Hands-on computer classes in two computer labs give participants assistance with the basics of the Internet, email and popular software.
The Southfield Public Library hosts numerous educational and informational programs and exhibits. Regular programs are story times, Battle of the Books, Jazz & Blues @ Your Library, Humanities group, Family Dinner Theater and more special programs. The library also has six different exhibit areas with rotating exhibits.
Technology[edit source | edit]
Approximately 1,000 data, voice and video connections located throughout the building.
Over 190 public use computers are available for use. Starting June 28, 2010 PC Share was started on all computers to allow everyone access to the computers.
Color laser printing is available on all three levels of the Library. Black and white printing is 15 cents a page and color printing is 50 cents a page.
Hundreds of data ports in all public areas for those who wish to bring in their own notebook PCs and connect to the Internet.
Wireless data network connectivity throughout the building for patrons who bring in their own notebook or other device.
Copy rooms are located on each level of the library with photocopiers, color printers and fax machines. A color copier is located in the copy room on the first level.
History[edit source | edit]
Library services began for the people living in the Township of Southfield in 1844. The services proved so popular that by 1845 Township rules were adopted for the Southfield Township Library. The early Library system relied heavily on the school districts. Every three months, the Township librarian took a rotating collection of books to each school. After 1859, not much is known about library services in the Township of Southfield.
In the 1950s, a group of citizens began a campaign for a public library in the newly formed City of Southfield. This group eventually became known as the Friends of the Southfield Public Library. Their efforts were successful and on February 3, 1960 the first Southfield Public Library opened its doors in a renovated two-room school house.
It quickly became apparent that the Library would need a new building in order to keep up with the rapid growth and vitality of the new City of Southfield. In 1964, the Library moved to a new building in the Southfield Civic Center complex. The 1960s and 1970s were years of continued growth for the City of Southfield and its Library. To keep pace with the City’s expansion, an enlarged and renovated Southfield Public Library was made available to the community in 1980.
By the mid 1980s, Southfield’s reputation as a center for business solidified as a number of Fortune 500 companies moved their world headquarters to the city.
In 1999, Southfield voters approved a millage increase to build and operate a new library building. The new Southfield Public Library opened the doors to its new $36,000,000 home on June 15, 2003.
On May 3, 2011 Southfield voters approved a millage for police and fire protection, library operations, street maintenance and parks and recreation programming. The millage was passed with over 83% of the vote.[1]
On September 4, 2012 the library began shortened hours due to property tax revenue decreases. The new hours are: Mondays & Wednesdays: 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.; Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.; Fridays: closed; Saturdays: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Sundays: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. (from September – May) [2] [3]
Friday hours from 1:00 - 5:00pm were added on June 7, 2013. [4]
Architecture & Art[edit source | edit]
Building Area: Total Building Size: 127,000 gross square feet; three levels; Height of Glass Tower: 65 feet (20 m).
Architectural Features and Materials:
- Glass Tower with "Floating" Boardroom
- Generations Tower
- Terrazzo Floors, Pewabic Tile Fireplace, Wood Paneling
- Monumental Public Circulation Stairway
- 1,004.5 Tons of Steel
- 200,000 Bricks
- 492 Tons of Limestone
- 30,100 Square Feet of Glass
- 320,000 Linear Feet of Electrical Wiring
- 5500 Linear Feet of Water Piping
- 8000 Linear Feet of Sanitary and Storm Plumbing
Building Amenities:
- Fireplaces on Every Level
- Imaginarium Garden
- Readers’ Tree House
- Storybook Castle with Book Throne and Dragon
- Space Station Program Room
- Club Q&A
- Southfield History Room
- Two Computer Training Labs
- Small Group Meeting Rooms on Every Level
- Auditorium and Large Meeting Room
- Café with Indoor Seating and an Outdoor Fountain Terrace
- Second Level Observation Deck
- Drive-up Service Window
- Dedicated Friends Used Book Store Spaces
Permanent Art Collection
First Level: Tower Lobby: Mark Twain Bench by Gary Lee Price Studios, Two Bears, bronze sculpture by Marshall Fredericks
First Level: Imaginarium Garden: Journeys of the Imagination by Gary Lee Price Studios, Seasons of the Imagination, tiles by Laurie Eisenhardt, Birdhouses from Maine by Naturally Wood, Book sculpture and Butterfly Bench
First Level: Circulation Lobby Wind Blowing by Jerry Pinkney, Sophie and Rose by Wendy Anderson Halperin, Bedtime Stories by Jane Dyer, Brown Honey in Broomwheat Tea by Floyd Cooper, The Voyage Begins by Anthony Bacon Venti
First Level: Youth Floor: Cat in the Hat by David McKnight, Emerald City Designs; Dr. Seuss sculptures:The Tufted Gustard, Two Horned Drouberhannis, Andulovian Grackler, Blue-Green Abelard, Seuss Sawfish, Mulberry Street Unicorn, Semi-Normal Green Lidded Fawn, Flaming Herring, Carbonic Walrus, Gimlet Fish, Sea Going Dilemma Fish, Powerless Puffer and Sludge Tarpon.; Dr. Seuss prints: Singing Cats; Oh, the Places You’ll Go; Fox in Socks; A Plethora of Fish; Oh, The Stuff You Will Learn
Second Level: Quiet Study Room: Book Quilt by the staff of the Southfield Public Library
Third Level: Administration Office: Twist Sculpture by Rollin Karg Glass Studio, Les Fleurs de Babylone Art Quilt by Joy Saville, Transformation Art Glass by Janet Kelman, Still Water Reflections Fiber Wall Piece by Tim Harding
References[edit source | edit]
- ^ "Landslide Southfield vote hikes millage for police, fire, library". Hometown Life. Retrieved 9 May 2011.
- ^ http://www.southfieldlibrary.org/about-us/general-information/new-hours
- ^ http://www.candgnews.com/news/library-hours-employees-cut
- ^ http://www.southfieldlibrary.org/about-us/general-information/new-hours
External links[edit source | edit]
- Reading Into the Future by Eva Gronowska at newsweek.com - [1]
- 2004 Building Team Project of the Year Awards by Building Design and Construction [2]
- Southfield Public Library's vision, mission and value statements - [3]
- Southfield Public Library website
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