Ypsilanti District Library
Encyclopedia
The Ypsilanti District Library is a library that serves Ypsilanti
, Ypsilanti Township
, and Superior Township
in eastern Washtenaw County
, Michigan
, with a permanent branch in each municipality, as well as a bookmobile
that travels throughout the service area. The main location is at 5577 Whittaker Road in Ypsilanti Township, the downtown branch (formerly the main location) is at 229 West Michigan Avenue, and a third branch is at 8975 MacArthur Boulevard in Superior Township. The library has been in operation since 1868, and presently has more than 309,000 volumes.
, which originally included 175 volumes. They housed the library on the second floor of the Arcade Building on North Huron. In 1886, the Arcade Building became inadequate for the purpose and the library moved to the second floor on the Union Block on Michigan Avenue . In 1890, Mrs. Starkweather donated her home to the 'Ladies' Library' on Huron Street as well as new furniture and a large stained glass
window. In the fall of 1948 the Ladies' Library changed its name to 'Public Library
' . In 1963, it moved into the old post office
building at 229 West Michigan Avenue, which has been in use ever since.
was purchased and scheduled to start on April 1 1981. A year later the library was denied extra funds by the township to help with the operating of the library. On March 25 1983 the library closed due to lack of funds and waited on a tax
proposal to be passed on April 4. On June 15, 1983 the library was mandated to reopen when the new tax was voted in. On April 14 1984 the deed
of the library was signed over from the city to the library, so it owned the building. In 1991 the Superior branch was opened . In 1996 Round Tree branch was opened. Due to financial setback, this branch closed again the same year. In 1998 the community voted to build a new library, renovate the Michigan Avenue facility and purchase a new bookmobile. In 2002 the Whittaker Road branch opened . The following year the Michigan Avenue branch was reopened after extensive renovation . The Ypsilanti District Library received the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award
for its second annual Ypsilanti Songwriting Festival.
All of these publications can be checked out by the public at no cost .
programs, community rooms and internet access. The library currently offers the ability to check out free passes to area museums including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
, the Arab American National Museum
, Cranbrook Educational Community
, and the Ypsilanti Historical Museum. The library also offers online book clubs, teen literacy activities, computer classes, and group book discussion..
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
, Ypsilanti Township
Ypsilanti Township, Michigan
Ypsilanti Charter Township is a charter township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the township population was 49,182...
, and Superior Township
Superior Township, Washtenaw County, Michigan
Superior Charter Township is a charter township of Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 10,740 at the 2000 census....
in eastern Washtenaw County
Washtenaw County, Michigan
Washtenaw County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 344,791. Its county seat is Ann Arbor. The United States Office of Management and Budget defines the county as part of the Detroit–Warren–Flint Combined Statistical Area...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
, with a permanent branch in each municipality, as well as a bookmobile
Bookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
that travels throughout the service area. The main location is at 5577 Whittaker Road in Ypsilanti Township, the downtown branch (formerly the main location) is at 229 West Michigan Avenue, and a third branch is at 8975 MacArthur Boulevard in Superior Township. The library has been in operation since 1868, and presently has more than 309,000 volumes.
Early history
In 1868, a small group of women started a reading group that created a libraryLibrary
In a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
, which originally included 175 volumes. They housed the library on the second floor of the Arcade Building on North Huron. In 1886, the Arcade Building became inadequate for the purpose and the library moved to the second floor on the Union Block on Michigan Avenue . In 1890, Mrs. Starkweather donated her home to the 'Ladies' Library' on Huron Street as well as new furniture and a large stained glass
Stained glass
The term stained glass can refer to coloured glass as a material or to works produced from it. Throughout its thousand-year history, the term has been applied almost exclusively to the windows of churches and other significant buildings...
window. In the fall of 1948 the Ladies' Library changed its name to 'Public Library
Public library
A public library is a library that is accessible by the public and is generally funded from public sources and operated by civil servants. There are five fundamental characteristics shared by public libraries...
' . In 1963, it moved into the old post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
building at 229 West Michigan Avenue, which has been in use ever since.
Recent history
In 1981 a new bookmobileBookmobile
A bookmobile or mobile library is a large vehicle designed for use as a library. It is designed to hold books on shelves so that when the vehicle is parked the books can be accessed by readers. It usually has enough space for people to sit and read books inside. Mobile libraries are often used to...
was purchased and scheduled to start on April 1 1981. A year later the library was denied extra funds by the township to help with the operating of the library. On March 25 1983 the library closed due to lack of funds and waited on a tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
proposal to be passed on April 4. On June 15, 1983 the library was mandated to reopen when the new tax was voted in. On April 14 1984 the deed
Deed
A deed is any legal instrument in writing which passes, or affirms or confirms something which passes, an interest, right, or property and that is signed, attested, delivered, and in some jurisdictions sealed...
of the library was signed over from the city to the library, so it owned the building. In 1991 the Superior branch was opened . In 1996 Round Tree branch was opened. Due to financial setback, this branch closed again the same year. In 1998 the community voted to build a new library, renovate the Michigan Avenue facility and purchase a new bookmobile. In 2002 the Whittaker Road branch opened . The following year the Michigan Avenue branch was reopened after extensive renovation . The Ypsilanti District Library received the John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award
John Cotton Dana Award
The John Cotton Dana Library Public Relations Award, usually referred to as the John Cotton Dana Award, is an annual award given by the American Library Association for excellence in library public relations. Winners receive a $5,000 grant from the award's sponsor, the H.W. Wilson Foundation.The...
for its second annual Ypsilanti Songwriting Festival.
Administration
Members of the Board of Trustees are elected at large from the library district to serve 4-year terms. Each member is expected to participate in library meetings and the events of the library. The Board of Trustees includes President Suzanne Gray, Vice President Brian Steimel, Treasurer Kay Williams, Secretary Jean Winborn, Director Jill Morey and trustees Frances Doe, Linda Gurka, and Angela Moloney.Collections
| Collections | Number of Items | Number of Circs |
|---|---|---|
| Adult Books | 139,507 | 238,240 |
| Adult Books on CD | 2,894 | 19,256 |
| Adult Books on Tape | 1,171 | 3,139 |
| Adult Playaways | 237 | 1,265 |
| Adult CDs | 9,482 | 54,296 |
| Adult DVDs | 8,849 | 115,768 |
| Adult Videos | 3,898 | 12,577 |
| Language Tapes/CDs | 501 | 2,936 |
| Literacy Material | 1,287 | 805 |
| Magazines | 16,768 | 12,383 |
| Adult and Youth Reference | 10,063 | 154 |
| Interlibrary Loan | 2,936 | |
| Pamphlets/Maps | 28 | |
| Young Adult Books | 11,172 | 27,897 |
| Young Adult Books on CD | 162 | 476 |
| Young Adult Books on Tape | 121 | 134 |
| Youth Books | 93,837 | 225,461 |
| Youth Books & Cassette | 674 | 1,596 |
| Youth Books & CD | 319 | 757 |
| Youth Books on CD | 863 | 4,074 |
| Youth Books on Tape | 541 | 1,514 |
| Youth Playaways | 184 | 596 |
| Youth CDs | 1,263 | 5,976 |
| Youth Videos | 1,289 | 10,911 |
| Youth DVDs | 4,203 | 43,592 |
| Youth CD ROMS | 69 | 225 |
All of these publications can be checked out by the public at no cost .
Services
The library provides many services including a bookmobile, inter-library loans, tax forms, photocopies, lively artsARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
programs, community rooms and internet access. The library currently offers the ability to check out free passes to area museums including the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History is located in the Cultural Center of the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. Founded in 1965, it holds the world's largest permanent exhibit on African American culture. In 1997, it moved into a 120,000 square foot facility on Warren Avenue...
, the Arab American National Museum
Arab American National Museum
The Arab American National Museum , which opened in 2005, is the first museum in the world devoted to Arab American history and culture. Located in Dearborn, Michigan, the Museum seeks to dispel misconceptions about Arab Americans and other minorities....
, Cranbrook Educational Community
Cranbrook Educational Community
The Cranbrook Educational Community, a National Historic Landmark, in the US state of Michigan was founded in the early 20th century by newspaper mogul George Gough Booth. Cranbrook campus is in the Detroit suburb of Bloomfield Hills consisting of Cranbrook Schools, Cranbrook Academy of Art,...
, and the Ypsilanti Historical Museum. The library also offers online book clubs, teen literacy activities, computer classes, and group book discussion..